If you’re concerned about the environment, you may wonder whether to continue eating meat. Food production has environmental impacts because it uses water and land. Therefore, eating foods that are made with fewer resources (and don’t significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions) is often said to be better for the planet.
Plant foods are generally considered more eco-friendly than meat and animal products, and vegan or vegetarian diets are often labeled as sustainable. However, there are many points to consider when evaluating the environmental impact of meat. In fact, there may be ways to eat meat more sustainably — and eat less of it — without giving it up completely.
The Environmental Impacts of Raising Livestock
Raising animals for food requires large amounts of land and water. It also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions through animal feed, manure, and methane that’s expelled via burping. In fact, livestock are responsible for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change. Furthermore, raising livestock industrially leads to deforestation, soil erosion, freshwater contamination, and air pollution.
Beef is said to have a larger environmental impact than dairy, pork, fish, eggs, or chicken, but the footprint of these foods varies based on how they’re produced. By contrast, whole, minimally processed plant foods like vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, and olive oil have among the lowest environmental impacts.
Still, it’s difficult to compare every type of animal and plant product. Some plant foods, such as certain nuts and highly processed items, have much larger environmental impacts than other plant-based options. For example, it takes about a gallon of water to grow one almond, and nearly five gallons to produce a walnut. Experts say that as much water is used to produce California’s almonds annually as the city of Los Angeles uses over three years.
It’s also important to consider the scale of meat production — small farms versus feedlots — when assessing meat’s ecological impact, as there are many nuances in the debate about livestock’s role in climate change.
Sustainable Beef Production Methods are Possible
While the meat industry typically uses more resources and contributes more to climate change than plant foods, certain meat production methods are more sustainable than others. Plus, although beef is widely viewed as worse for the environment than other meats, some analyses suggest otherwise. For example, beef is produced more efficiently in the United States than in most other places in the world. Innovations like better breeding and feed additives help farmers use fewer cattle to feed more people and decrease environmental impacts.
Adjusting dairy cows’ diet to include a specific type of seaweed has been shown to improve digestion and reduce methane emissions by up to 60%. In beef cattle, the reduction in methane emissions from seaweed supplements may be up to 80%. Current research suggests that U.S. beef production contributes to 3.7% of national greenhouse gas emissions and under 0.5% of global emissions. The entire agriculture industry comprises 10% of U.S. emissions, while the transportation industry makes up 29%.
Proper Cattle Management May actually have Environmental Benefits
Although beef cattle production emits more greenhouse gases than poultry, pork, or dairy, most U.S. cattle are raised on land that’s unfit for growing veggies and other plant foods. Using this land to raise meat may be considered an efficient way to feed people. Additionally, beef and other meats have health benefits. Meat is very rich in protein and contains essential micronutrients.
Many communities in the United States and across the world rely on livestock for both nutrition and jobs. Plus, some people may not have access to nutritionally sufficient plant-based diets, meaning that a lower meat intake may harm their nutrition and livelihoods. Eating meat may also be an integral part of their culture or traditions.
Finally, well-managed cattle can help keep soil and land healthy. Proper grazing techniques may make land more resilient to floods and keep carbon in the soil instead of emitted into the atmosphere.
These techniques involve grazing cows on long grasses while preventing them from overgrazing or degrading soil with their hooves. As a result, the grasses maintain healthy, long roots that can handle water and sequester carbon in the ground. Grazing cows may also help prevent wildfires by decreasing the grass available to catch fire.
The more Humane Option may also be more Environmentally-Friendly
All food production has some degree of environmental impact, which largely depends on the production method. Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) — known as feedlots in the beef industry — have many negative environmental effects. Animals in CAFOs are kept in close quarters and not allowed to graze. Not only does their manure contaminate the surrounding land, water, and air, but the crowded conditions are also a breeding ground for disease and infection that can spread to humans.
By stark contrast, grass-fed, grass-finished, and pasture-raised meat and animal products are generally considered more eco-friendly than meat raised in CAFOs and feedlots. Farmers who produce these types of meat aim to restore ecosystems and reduce environmental impacts on soil and water. For example, they manage manure better than CAFOs and may use grazing techniques that promote healthy, flood-resilient land.
Still, some claim that grass-fed and -finished meat may contribute more greenhouse gas emissions than other types. Grass-fed cows have a longer life than feedlot cows, thus releasing more methane via belching over their lifespan. In addition, if more people choose to eat grass-fed beef, the number of cattle and amount of land needed to produce this meat may increase. That said, some studies note that the increased emissions are offset by the carbon that grazing cows sequester in the soil.
The Basic Tenets of an Eco-Friendly Diet
To protect the environment in the short and long term — which also supports humans, since a healthy environment is crucial for our survival — a sustainable diet should:
- minimize greenhouse gas emissions, water use, soil erosion, and pollution
- prioritize animal welfare
- support biodiversity
On an individual level, this means making changes like choosing produce grown without the use of harmful pesticides and fertilizers, and eating less meat, but not necessarily eliminating it altogether. On a larger scale, it means investing in agricultural systems that renew — rather than deplete — the ecosystems to which they belong.
As you can see from the information provided above, it is possible to follow a sustainable, eco-friendly diet and continue to eat meat. You just have to do the research and find out where your meat is coming from, and how it was raised. The more people follow these protocols, the more the beef industry will have to follow, which would be healthier for our bodies, and healthier for the planet in the long run.
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