Do We Need to Change Our Diets to Save the Environment?
Understanding how the food production industry leads to severe amounts of greenhouse gas emissions.
By Sanaya Tonsekar
When we think about climate change, we instantly think about things such as the excessive usage of fossil fuels, greenhouse gases, deforestation, intensive agriculture, etc. But, did you know that your diet is a large contributor to greenhouse gas emissions? While looking at the global food system — from aspects such as procuring raw materials to production, processing and distribution — each and every step to procure your favourite foods slowly but drastically harms the environment.
Let’s take a look at this interactive graph to gain a mathematical understanding of how food production and greenhouse gas emissions are correlated. Out of the global greenhouse gas emissions, food production contributes to 26% greenhouse gas emissions. This alarming statistic is surprisingly our reality. Urbanisation and agricultural development might strike you as a simple explanation for this, but certain natural processes are also to blame. Livestock & fisheries contribute to 31% of food emissions; crop production makes for 27% of food emissions; land use results in 24% of food emissions; the supply chain (includes aspects such as processing, packaging, transport and retail) contributes to 18% of food emissions.
These shocking figures are only the tip of the iceberg. Did you know that half of the world’s habitable land is used for agricultural purposes? To add on, 78% of oceans and fresh-water bodies are polluted due to intensive agriculture. If we do not act now, not only will we be threatening the existence of numerous species, but we will be blatantly damaging our environment to an irreversible extent. Let’s take a look at some possible solutions to combat this pressing issue.
Firstly, it is important to understand how a diet that relies heavily on meat and animal products can largely contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. *The data for greenhouse gas emissions provided are in terms of CO2 approximations. Did you know that producing 1 kg of beef emits 60 kg of greenhouse gases, whereas vegetables such as peas emit just 1 kilogram of greenhouse gas per kg produced? Meat isn’t the only culprit; producing 1 kilogram of cheese results in the emission of 24 kilograms of greenhouse gases! On the other hand, crops and vegetables such as wheat, tomatoes, maize and bananas produce less than 1.4 kilograms of greenhouse gases per kilogram of product. This indicates that reducing one’s consumption of animal byproducts, such as meat and cheese can exponentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by food production on an international scale. Try exploring things like the vegetarian or the vegan diet, or simply try reducing the amount of animal products that are there in your diet. Not only are these diets more sustainable, but they are also proven to be great for the growth and development of our bodies and are incredibly nutritious!
Another very simple, but largely impactful solution to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions caused by this industry is eating locally grown produce. As mentioned earlier, although animal products contribute more to the emission of greenhouse gases, things such as transport, packaging, processing and retail account for approximately 18% of greenhouse gas emissions caused by food production. Eating locally-sourced, organic food is not only beneficial for the environment, but is proven to be healthier for our health and wellbeing too! Moreover, locally-sourced foods tend to be cost-efficient as they have not been imported; thus, there is minimal transportation cost. Next time while grocery shopping, take a look at items that have been locally sourced, or better yet, try to visit a farmer’s market in your neighbourhood.
We can see how the production of various types of food — ranging from animal products such as beef and dairy to fruits and vegetables — can impact the level of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. Take small steps, but make environmentally-wise decisions. It’s never too late to make a change!
Works Cited
Ritchie, Hannah, and Max Roser. “Environmental Impacts of Food Production.” Our World in Data, 2020, ourworldindata.org/environmental-impacts-of-food#:~:text=of%20food%20products-,Food%20production%20is%20responsible%20for%20one%2Dquarter,the%20world’s%20greenhouse%20gas%20emissions&text=Indeed%2C%20energy%2C%20whether%20in%20the,greenhouse%20gas%20(GHG)%20emissions. Accessed 11 Jan. 2021.
