Aubrey Motsinger
As it goes from the grocery store to our dinner plate, we may not fully realize the impact our food has on us and our planet. A direct link seems to exist between dietary preferences and environmental degradation. The connection lies in our current food systems, which heavily use natural resources. This is especially concerning since food quality is determined in part by the quality of the environment. If current consumption habits continue, dietary freedom could become a luxury of the past.
This hasn’t always been the case with food. Farmers used to rotate their crops, control pests naturally, and apply natural manures to help plant growth. These organic practices are still around today, but chemical production methods have become the standard. Utilizing synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, humanity has dramatically increased food production, bringing not only greater food consumption but also greater environmental effects. Animal agriculture poses a particularly great risk to clean air, freshwater, and healthy soil. Compared to that of plant proteins, meat production emits more greenhouse gases, has a 10 times greater land requirement, and is alone responsible for 70% of the planet’s freshwater consumption. Much of this is used to grow feed, not necessarily as drinking water for the animals themselves. Currently, as a country becomes more developed, its citizens tend to eat more meat, indicating a higher socio-economic status. This is because the nation’s economy can afford the social and environmental costs that come with meat consumption. By promoting meat consumption, our modern food system is actually leaving 1 in 3 people malnourished globally. Vegetables contain a substantial amount of proteins and nutrients, many of which are lost to humans when fed to the livestock that will eventually be eaten. Something needs to change, for the health of both the planet and those that call it home.
A sustainable diet is one that meets nutritional requirements while imposing the fewest environmental impacts. Generally speaking, the fewer animal products consumed, the more sustainable a diet is. This, however, depends on the method used in the production of the plant-based products. Some vegetarian diets can actually end up being more environmentally harmful than ones containing meat. Swapping high-impact meats–such as beef–with more dairy, or eating out-of-season produce that was grown in high-energy greenhouses or flown in, could exact a greater environmental impact than several animal-based foods. So what can we put on our plates?
Vegan meat substitutes, which have become more available as an appetite for meat replacements increases, are one option. Even major meat industry distributors–like Perdue and Tyson–are joining the vegan meat market. Vegan meat companies are trying to expand the definition of what meat is, not necessarily promoting a reduction in meat consumption. This appeals to those desiring a diet that is “less meat, not meat-less”. Incrementally replacing animal meat with plant-based products is appealing because it feels ‘safe’, not requiring people to completely rethink what they believe about food all at once. These meat replacements are an environmental improvement from actual meat products, showing more than an 89% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, an 87% reduction in water use, and 93% less land used in some cases. In terms of human health, any nutritional value of meat substitutes depends on what it’s being compared against. Although less healthy than whole vegetables, vegan beef has fewer fats but higher fiber and sodium content compared to animal-based beef.
Worldwide, people should eat more locally-grown, plant-based foods. A vegetarian diet allows people to obtain more nutrients than they do eating animal products, which can turn the tide in the fight against malnutrition. Adopting a more plant-based diet may also reduce an individual’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. Many believe that the impact of personal dietary change would be insignificant compared to other non-food-related behaviors, but it can actually have a greater impact than even buying an electric car. To get the most out of the dietary switch–both nutritionally and environmentally–food should be regionally produced, seasonally consumed, and organically grown. With the availability of meat alternatives, a plant-based diet has never been more approachable.
One prominent barrier for many, however, is the higher costs associated with a plant-based diet. Governments can redistribute subsidies from animal products to fruit and vegetables to aid the scale of change needed to combat agriculture’s negative impacts on the environment. Not only do consumers need to transition, but those who have devoted their lives to feeding the world with meat can’t be left behind either. Governmental programs could be instituted to help farmers transition from animal to plant agriculture. While a whole-plant diet would have the most drastic benefits for the environment and human health, vegan meat alternatives are a good starting point for people who are open to reducing the environmental impact of their plate.
Citations
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