Avoiding meat and dairy is ‘single biggest way’ to reduce your impact on Earth

[editor]

New study reveals just how bad dairy and meat is:

Avoiding meat and dairy products is the single biggest way to reduce your environmental impact on the planet, according to the scientists behind the most comprehensive analysis to date of the damage farming does to the planet.

The new research shows that without meat and dairy consumption, global farmland use could be reduced by more than 75% – an area equivalent to the US, China, European Union and Australia combined – and still feed the world. Loss of wild areas to agriculture is the leading cause of the current mass extinction of wildlife.

The new analysis shows that while meat and dairy provide just 18% of calories and 37% of protein, it uses the vast majority – 83% – of farmland and produces 60% of agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions. Other recent research shows 86% of all land mammals are now livestock or humans. The scientists also found that even the very lowest impact meat and dairy products still cause much more environmental harm than the least sustainable vegetable and cereal growing.

The study, published in the journal Science, created a huge dataset based on almost 40,000 farms in 119 countries and covering 40 food products that represent 90% of all that is eaten. It assessed the full impact of these foods, from farm to fork, on land use, climate change emissions, freshwater use and water pollution (eutrophication) and air pollution (acidification).

“A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth, not just greenhouse gases, but global acidification, eutrophication, land use and water use,” said Joseph Poore, at the University of Oxford, UK, who led the research. “It is far bigger than cutting down on your flights or buying an electric car,” he said, as these only cut greenhouse gas emissions.

“Agriculture is a sector that spans all the multitude of environmental problems,” he said. “Really it is animal products that are responsible for so much of this. Avoiding consumption of animal products delivers far better environmental benefits than trying to purchase sustainable meat and dairy.”

The analysis also revealed a huge variability between different ways of producing the same food. For example, beef cattle raised on deforested land result in 12 times more greenhouse gases and use 50 times more land than those grazing rich natural pasture. But the comparison of beef with plant protein such as peas is stark, with even the lowest impact beef responsible for six times more greenhouse gases and 36 times more land.

Avoiding meat and dairy is ‘single biggest way’ to reduce your impact on Earth

 

[twentythreedom]

Killing yourself will be more effective

 

[MrSki]

I am too old to give one. Meat & cheese are what food is about.

Bollocks to the facts.

 

[joustmaster]

I'll just cycle occasionally, and restrict myself to 10 (2 way) flights a year.

 

[wayward bob]

for those of us who live in our rooms never go out and depend intemittently on public transport - are the stats the same?

 

[joustmaster]

Do many vegans become vegans for environment reasons? I think all the ones I know have done it because they feel bad for animals getting chopped up for dinner.

 

[Shechemite]

I eat insects (dried, bought through amazon). Do I need to stop doing that and all?

 

[kabbes]

Killing yourself will be more effective

Not having kids is also pretty effective. More so, even, than killing yourself after having kids.

 

[Shechemite]

I thought not having sprogs was the best thing you could do for planet?

 

[Shechemite]

Not having kids is also pretty effective. More so, even, than killing yourself after having kids.

Cheeky fucker. Bet you’ve got kids. And feed them nothing but steak and cheese.

 

[Orang Utan]

Do many vegans become vegans for environment reasons? I think all the ones I know have done it because they feel bad for animals getting chopped up for dinner.

I reckon its quite a lot of them.
That's what's attracting me. Am cooking more vegan meals rather than going all in mind.

 

[kabbes]

Cheeky fucker. Bet you’ve got kids. And feed them nothing but steak and cheese.

Nope, no kids. Which means I can (a) eat as much meat as I want whilst still doing less damage than a vegan parent, and (b) not give a fuck in any case what that does to the planet so long as it survives intact for another 40 years or so...

 

[mauvais]

for those of us who live in our rooms never go out and depend intemittently on public transport - are the stats the same?

And what about those of us who illicitly manufacture banned CFCs in a so far undiscovered facility somewhere in Asia?

 

[Shechemite]

Ethical self-interest. Fair dos.

 

[Doctor Carrot]

I really think not having kids is the single biggest way to reduce your impact. Me eating meat and dairy is one thing, me and a kid I may loose from my loins in the future eating meat and dairy is double!

 

[Yossarian]

Agriculture accounts for around 10% of global emissions caused by human activity, so emissions would go down by a maximum of 10% even if every single person on the planet went vegan tomorrow.

Saying "this is the single biggest way to reduce your impact" about anything kind of clouds the fact that it isn't as much what you do as where you live - a childless vegan American or Australian will still be responsible for hundreds of times more emissions than somebody in Uganda or Nepal who might eat meat from time to time and have a few kids.

So while people can point fingers at each other all day for not making minor lifestyle adjustments, we're all massive energy hogs, we're all responsible for what's happening to the planet, and the single biggest thing we can do is to stop electing governments that don't take climate change seriously.

 

[kabbes]

Agriculture accounts for around 10% of global emissions caused by human activity, so emissions would go down by a maximum of 10% even if every single person on the planet went vegan tomorrow.

Saying "this is the single biggest way to reduce your impact" about anything kind of clouds the fact that it isn't as much what you do as where you live - a childless vegan American or Australian will still be responsible for hundreds of times more emissions than somebody in Uganda or Nepal who might eat meat from time to time and have a few kids.

So while people can point fingers at each other all day for not making minor lifestyle adjustments, we're all massive energy hogs, we're all responsible for what's happening to the planet, and the single biggest thing we can do is to stop electing governments that don't take climate change seriously.

Way to make me look callous by actually giving a proper answer, you bastard.

 

[NoXion]

I've got enough hair shirts being imposed on my lifestyle through crappy pay, without adding more myself. I'll pass.

 

[Baronage-Phase]

Farting less is the only way to save the planet...

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Do many vegans become vegans for environment reasons? I think all the ones I know have done it because they feel bad for animals getting chopped up for dinner.

I know one. He normally crumbles in the face of a bacon sandwich.

 

[andysays]

Individual and individualist solutions to global and structural problems?

Sounds legit...

 

[Flavour]

Agriculture accounts for around 10% of global emissions caused by human activity, so emissions would go down by a maximum of 10% even if every single person on the planet went vegan tomorrow.

Saying "this is the single biggest way to reduce your impact" about anything kind of clouds the fact that it isn't as much what you do as where you live - a childless vegan American or Australian will still be responsible for hundreds of times more emissions than somebody in Uganda or Nepal who might eat meat from time to time and have a few kids.

So while people can point fingers at each other all day for not making minor lifestyle adjustments, we're all massive energy hogs, we're all responsible for what's happening to the planet, and the single biggest thing we can do is to stop electing governments that don't take climate change seriously.

Nor does being vegan necessarily reduce one's dependence on the slavery/oppression of the people who provide your goods and services

 

[Badgers]

Kill your pets too, especially the dogs

 

[skyscraper101]

I’ve massively reduced the meat I eat. I admit dairy is one thing I’ve never changed much. Milk and butter is one of my must haves. That said I’m not massively into cheese or yoghurt or cream so I think I’m doing ok.

No kids either. Bam.

 

[existentialist]

Not having kids is also pretty effective. More so, even, than killing yourself after having kids.

I have no kids, and am vegetarian I feel semi-virtuous.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Cows farting is the worst thing for the planet, ergo eating the fuckers is good for the planet. Cunting planet wrecking vegans

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Oh, and:

Bollocks to the facts.

 

[cheesethief]

I don't eat meat, I don't own a car & I have no kids.

But I'll be damned if I'm going to give up cheese...

I've done my bit to save the planet, hands off my cheddar!

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

I don't eat meat, I don't own a car & I have no kids.

But I'll be damned if I'm going to give up cheese...

I've done my bit to save the planet, hands off my cheddar!

We can pair up nicely, I eat lots of meat, drive a 3ltr diesel car and have two kids, but don't eat cheese.

Planet saved

 

[Badgers]

Want to fight climate change? Have fewer children

The greatest impact individuals can have in fighting climate change is to have one fewer child, according to a new study that identifies the most effective ways people can cut their carbon emissions.

The next best actions are selling your car, avoiding long flights, and eating a vegetarian diet. These reduce emissions many times more than common green activities, such as recycling, using low energy light bulbs or drying washing on a line. However, the high impact actions are rarely mentioned in government advice and school textbooks, researchers found.

So by not having any children, not driving and not flying (at least for the last few years) I am doing much more for the environment than a vegetarian?

According to that ^ report, which I am sure is one of many