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    The Carbon Footprint of Food

    Posted on 06/12/08


    Vegamonics Lesson Three: Reducing carbon footprints.

    By far, red meat was the biggest culprit in a life-cycle assessment of greenhouse gases, with dairy products in second. Surprisingly, chicken, fish, and eggs fair slightly better than fruit and vegetables.

    "Transportation creates only 11% of the greenhouse gases that an average U.S. household generates annually as a result of food consumption. The agricultural and industrial practices that go into growing and harvesting food are responsible for most (83%) of its greenhouse gas emissions." Read the full article at Environmental Science & Technology.

    What does this mean? Eating less red meat will make more of a positive impact on the environment than buying local produce.

    When battling the rise cost of food, however, buying local will make a difference because fuel usage and travel time increase food prices.

    Not unlike smoking cessation or exercise regimes, changing eating habits is a lifestyle change. So start small, eating one less meal a week with red meat. Try replacing half of the meat in a recipe with beans, nuts, or legumes. Instead of meat being the entree, give the vegetables center stage and move meat to the side. Use common vegetarian substitutions, such as mushrooms, eggplant, or tofu. Think of red meat the same way as onions: a way to enhance the flavor of a dish, not the main component.

    Homework: Work to reduce my carbon footprint by buying less red meat and finding an alternative for dinner.
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