Plants Preferred

Action: Reduce animal product consumption by half. 

Animal products: meat, cheese, butter, milk, yogurt–carry a heavy cost when it comes to accelerating climate change.  It is estimated that 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from livestock, and the damage is not just limited to the climate.  Agricultural runoff in the United States is strangulating life in the Gulf of Mexico, where nutrient-laden river water creates an annual algae bloom “dead zone” each summer.  In spite of increased global awareness of the damage of animal product consumption, the demand for animal products continues to grow, with the global demand for beef expected to increase by 95% by 2050.

While per-capita consumption of beef in the United States as declined 27% from the 1960s, consumption of milk-based products has been on the rise, with butter, cheese, ice cream and greek yogurt listed as particular offenders due to the large quantity of milk required to make these products.  Coconut and nut-based milks can be a lower carbon replacement for dairy, and can be made easily at home, saving the packaging, transportation, and refrigeration costs within the supply chain.  Despite concerns over the water and carbon cost of nut production, published analyses suggest that commercial almond milk carries just 1/10th of the carbon cost of cow’s milk.  Nut-based milks can be cultured and made into yogurt and other products, allowing for a healthy vegan diet that may be amenable to all members of the family.

Will you be taking on this challenge?  Share on social media, hashtags #2yrco2 #plantspreferred #plantbaseddiet