Dietary habits have a tremendous impact on the environment, as high meat consumption is associated with increased greenhouse gasses (GHG) emissions. According to Macdiarmid et al., livestock is accountable for 14.5% of anthropogenic GHG making meat production one of the causes of climate change (488). Even though the majority of strategies to mitigate environmental impact focus on improving efficiency,
technological advances, and to reduce waste in food production, these approaches will be insufficient to achieve the desired level of environmental sustainability (Macdiarmid 488). Several countries, including the US, have started developing food consumption guidelines and recommendations as a method to spread awareness about the matter. Thus, changing the diet is a feasible method to address the problem of climate change.
One of the ways I try to minimize my environmental impact is to eat less meat. According to Lacour et al., a 35% reduction in meat consumption can lead to “a 24% decrease in diet-related land use” (230). Even though some people may consider such dietary changes unhealthy and difficult to achieve, my personal experience has shown that these statements are emotional. People eat meat mostly for pleasure or to express personal identity and social or economic status (Macdiarmid et al. 488). In short, the fact that I try to limit meat consumption positively affects the environment.
Works Cited
Lacour, Camille et al. “Environmental Impacts of Plant-Based Diets: How Does Organic Food Consumption Contribute To Environmental Sustainability?” Frontiers in Nutrition, vol. 5, 2018, pp. 229-232. Frontiers Media SA, Web.
Macdiarmid, Jennie I. et al. “Eating Like There’s No Tomorrow: Public Awareness of the Environmental Impact of Food and Reluctance to Eat Less Meat as Part of a Sustainable Diet.” Appetite, vol. 96, 2016, pp.487-493. Web.