Your Diet & The Environment
Believe it or not, your diet can have a major impact on the environment. Specifically, meat consumption has a detrimental effect on our environment. Changing or being more conscientious of your diet is a great step toward becoming eco.
But how exactly does meat consumption affect our environment? Livestock rearing accounts for 20 percent of all greenhouse gases and depleting rainforests around the world. Producing meat can take up to 2,500 gallons of water per just one pound and takes up more land than growing crops. By focusing on a plant-based diet, even if it's just every so often, you can help impact the environment in a positive way.
Aside from meats, though, it's important to eat locally. Not only will this reduce the gas emissions and packaging materials needed to deliver foods long distances, but it will also lessen the preservatives you consume. You can also ask local farmers or vendors if pesticides or other toxic chemicals were used in your food's production. These chemicals are bad for yourself, as well as for the soil and water. Bonus: Eating locally made honey can alleviate your allergies since it's made with local pollen.
So, will changing your diet actually make a difference? Yes. If more people switched to a plant-based diet, costs to fight climate change could lower by as much as 50 percent. Even though you may just be one person, we can all be the start of a movement.
Additional Readings
How Does Your Diet Impact the Environment?
Can Eating Habits Affect the Environment?
Vegetarian Diet Could Cut Climate Change Mitigation Costs by 70%
But how exactly does meat consumption affect our environment? Livestock rearing accounts for 20 percent of all greenhouse gases and depleting rainforests around the world. Producing meat can take up to 2,500 gallons of water per just one pound and takes up more land than growing crops. By focusing on a plant-based diet, even if it's just every so often, you can help impact the environment in a positive way.
Aside from meats, though, it's important to eat locally. Not only will this reduce the gas emissions and packaging materials needed to deliver foods long distances, but it will also lessen the preservatives you consume. You can also ask local farmers or vendors if pesticides or other toxic chemicals were used in your food's production. These chemicals are bad for yourself, as well as for the soil and water. Bonus: Eating locally made honey can alleviate your allergies since it's made with local pollen.
So, will changing your diet actually make a difference? Yes. If more people switched to a plant-based diet, costs to fight climate change could lower by as much as 50 percent. Even though you may just be one person, we can all be the start of a movement.
Additional Readings
How Does Your Diet Impact the Environment?
Can Eating Habits Affect the Environment?
Vegetarian Diet Could Cut Climate Change Mitigation Costs by 70%