There is another way to look at it. One can translate a kilo of different food sources into the number of car miles driven. Lamb is definitely the worst at 91 miles followed by beef at 63. Bad news for vegetarians, cheese comes in at 31 miles. It is followed by pork (28), turkey (25), chicken (16), nuts (5) and lentils (2). Imagine if dietary habits changed from beef to lentils, even once a week would make an enormous difference. Also chicken, turkey and pork are reasonable substitutes as cutting out beef and lamb is clearly critical. By the way, Indian food has delicious lentil recipes.
Scientists may soon have other intriguing possibilities, including lab-grown meat,
that is if the current Beyond Burger type bean substitutes do not quite
make the taste test. Then there are crickets! They happen to be an
excellent source of protein offering more per pound than beef, and their
production leaves a tiny
ecological footprint in comparison. Ground up into powder, this protein
can be added to flour or other foods, and it is available. Kernza is a perennial grain and a
substitute for wheat and corn but without their annual tilling which
robs the soil of nutrients and also causes erosion. There is also a new
oil made from algae. Sourced originally from the sap of a German
chestnut tree, it has been developed further to yield more oil, and is
being sold under the name Thrive. With a neutral taste and high smoke
point, it makes an excellent substitute for the environmentally
destructive palm oil, where plantations have ravaged forests in
Indonesia and imperiled orangutans.
Personal choices can make a huge difference, including walking whenever possible for short distances instead of driving -- mostly it's just habit. Bicycles, tricycles and push scooters are all out there, including some with electrical power assist.
Yes,
there are options available to cut back our contributions to climate
change; they require changes in habits and tastes, perhaps difficult,
but we will have to eventually if we are not to leave behind a raging
planet for future generations. Meanwhile, the young in Europe have been marching in their tens of thousands to draw attention to the issue, and it cannot hurt to do likewise.
.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
1
1
