How having a heavier emphasis on plant based protein can lower your environmental footprint

One thing that remains certain is the ongoing debate about what we should eat for the best outcomes for both human and planetary health. That said, I tread lightly on this topic. Nonetheless, we can all agree that fruits and vegetables are the healthiest foods for us on Earth. They offer some of the greatest levels of micronutrients per gram, while still having a low environmental footprint.

To further minimize environmental impact and gain all the micronutrients from the food, consider choosing local and seasonal fruits and vegetables. This approach lowers greenhouse gas emissions from food transportation and allows you to quickly benefit from the nutrient density.

You might be wondering how a plant based diet is able to yield a lower environmental footprint than a conventional diet that has a high to moderate intake of meat – based products.

First off, it comes down to the water needed to produce meat compared to whole plant based protein (legumes and grains). Not only does the animal itself need water, but the feed needed to grow the animal needs water. If excessive water usage surpasses groundwater recharge or inflow levels, aquifers may become unstable and depleted

Here is a breakdown of the amount of water it takes to produce both plant and meat based protein per pound:

It’s important to note that some plant-based proteins require as much water, if not more, than meat-based proteins. For instance, almonds have a low carbon footprint but an extremely high water footprint.

Secondly, meat production is directly linked to land use and deforestation. To begin with, a healthy forest functions as a ‘carbon sink,’ absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere to produce carbon-based sugars and oxygen, which are then utilized for new growth.Unfortunately, in my region, healthy forests are being cleared, primarily for cattle grazing and feed production. Since cows need to eat, soy, corn, and other common ingredients used in cattle feed are directly contributing to deforestation. In short, animal based protein is more resource intensive than whole plant based protein. According to Earth.org, [a remarkable 80% of soy produced globally is directly fed to livestock.]

Last, but definitely not least, the greenhouse gas emissions produced from meat production. Particularly cattle. Cows produce methane through a process called ‘enteric fermentation,’ which takes place during the digestion process of their food, causing burps and releasing the methane into the atmosphere. Methane is a whopping 28 time more lethal than carbon dioxide.

To some extent, all forms of animal agriculture emit methane, but the emissions from most are minimal compared to those from cattle. On the other hand, nuts and grains do not produce greenhouse gas emissions themselves, aside from those generated during cultivation and transportation. Nuts also can have a lower carbon footprint since most grow on trees, absorbing the carbon dioxide from the air.

Without question, the supply chain of beef production has the biggest environmental footprint than any other meat based protein.

To entirely achieve a win-win situation is difficult. While legumes, grains, and nuts typically have a lower carbon footprint, their conventional farming methods may use higher levels of pesticides and fertilizers. These chemicals can runoff into nearby streams, rivers, and lakes, causing algal blooms and other major pollution issues. Therefore, it would be advisable to buy certified organic products to avoid the environmental impacts associated with conventional agriculture.

For the most part, whole plant based protein will ultimately yield a lower environmental footprint than meat based protein, so swap the beef out for the black bean when you can.