Eating less meat is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and make the world a better place. For example, if every American can reduce meat consumption by just 10% per year for the next 10 years, they would make a huge impact in curbing climate change! In this article, we’ll explore how you can cut back on your meat consumed without going completely vegetarian or vegan. Read on for some tips and tricks that will help you become an eco-friendly eater today!
Reduce your meat consumption by 10%
Remember that reducing your meat intake by 10% may seem like a small change, but when you multiply it by the 310 million people living in America, it’s massive! For example, the average American consumes about 280 lbs. of meat a year, so reducing their meat intake by 10% would be 28 lbs. per year (or roughly 0.3 lb. every five days) for an entire year!
Eat more plant-based meals
If you’re already vegetarian or vegan, this may seem like a no-brainer, but there are plenty of reasons why meat-eaters can benefit from eating more plant-based meals! For example, it’s been proven that vegetarians and vegans tend to have lower rates of cancer and heart disease than people who regularly consume animal products. Plant-based meals are also generally lower in saturated fats, free of cholesterol, and high in fiber. Finally, they’re an awesome way to help reduce your direct impact on the environment.
Avoid processed foods and fast-food restaurants
When you eat out, it’s hard to know exactly what’s in your food. For example, chicken nuggets are often made with mechanically separated poultry—aka “the stuff they scoop off the slaughterhouse floor.” While this sounds pretty nasty, most restaurants will leave this ingredient off their menus so that customers don’t have to think about what they’re actually eating.
Cut back on dairy products even if you’re not lactose intolerant
If you’ve ever visited a farm, you know that animals raised for food are generally treated inhumanely. Most milk comes from cows who have been artificially inseminated, kept constantly pregnant, and/or separated from their babies for four months at a time.
Aside from being cruel, modern dairy production is also very harmful to the environment. For example, 1 gallon of milk takes 442 gallons of water to produce! If you’re not lactose intolerant and have never developed an allergy to dairy products, this may be a good place for you to reduce your impact on the environment.
Buy meat from local farmers and reduce consumption of beef & lamb
This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s important to remember that consuming less meat isn’t just about eating less meat. Buying directly from farmers is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and be more eco-friendly. For example, you can reduce the number of gas emissions created by transporting factory-farmed meat to your local grocer!
In addition, studies have shown that buying meat produced locally reduces harmful methane emissions in the atmosphere by three-quarters.
Support local programs that aim to reduce meat consumption
If you’re trying to reduce your meat intake for environmental reasons, there are plenty of ways that you can help support other people in your community. For example, the Meatless Monday program is an international initiative encouraging people to reduce their meat consumption on Mondays and eat more vegetarian meals during the week.
Try eating vegan one day per week to see how it feels
One day a week is all it takes! If you reduce your meat consumption by just one day per week, you’ll reduce your carbon footprint and support other people in your community. It’s easier than you think!
Given how much of an impact reducing your meat intake can have on the environment, giving up just one serving may seem like a sacrifice. However, once you start eating more plant-based meals and reduce your overall meat consumption, it becomes much easier.
Increase awareness among others
If you want to reduce your meat consumption for the environment, it can be a great idea to encourage others to reduce their meat intake as well! For example, if you have a friend who only buys non-organic food, encouraging them to reduce their meat consumption may help reduce the environmental impact of their diet by letting them know the dangers of processed foods and inorganic sourcing.
Conclusion
Hope this article has provided you valuable insights on how to reduce meat consumption at home, as well as how this would benefit the community in different ways such as supporting local farmers and more importantly lowering your carbon footprint. If you want to know of other ways you can become more sustainable, check out my article below.
Lowering the amount of meat consumed using the ways mentioned above helps reduce your impact on the planet without having to give up delicious food or go through a huge lifestyle transition. It may sound intimidating at first, but if you start slowly it gets easier every day!