An Easy Way to Combat Climate Change: Meatless Mondays

There are hundreds of things each of us can do every day to combat climate change and reduce our carbon footprint, from unplugging appliances when not in use to voting for politicians who agree with long-settled climate science. Here’s another, an easy one that allows you to not only cool the climate, but improve your own health and reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke:

Join the growing global movement to adopt meatless Mondays, a movement promoted by many environmental and health organizations, not to mention celebrity chefs like Mario Batali and Wolfgang Puck, food writer Michael Pollan, singer Paul McCartney and his daughter, fashion designer Stella-- and of course the indomitable Oprah Winfrey.

Cows and other farm animals make a significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions: estimates are that about 14% of human-induced climate change comes from farming, especially cows, as methane emanating from both burps and manure is a powerful greenhouse gas. Though methane does not last as long as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, it is a much stronger greenhouse gas, and all models for reducing climate change require lower methane emissions.  

But cows triple-down the contribution to climate. Worldwide, forests are being cleared for raising cattle at rates far higher than anyone wishes, and these forests can no longer pull in and sequester CO2. Worse, tropical forests are typically burned to create cattle pasture, releasing extraordinary amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. That’s the triple-play: the forest is burned, that forest no longer sequesters carbon, and cows on that burned land now belch methane into the skies. 

In 2017, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization estimated that total annual emissions from beef production amounted to 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2010-- about 7% of total greenhouse gas emissions that year, and a number then on par with India’s total emissions.

Global demand for beef continues to grow, rising some 25% between 2000 and 2019. Consequently, the UN estimates that pastureland worldwide will expand by 400 million hectares-- an area larger than India-- between 2010 and 2050. 

At the UN’s 2021 climate change meeting in Glasgow, leaders pledged to reduce methane emissions by 30% and end deforestation by 2030. Lowering beef consumption can help us meet those targets.

Saving Water

In addition to greenhouse gases, the Worldwatch Institute estimates that a staggering 70% of the world’s freshwater supplies goes towards agriculture – a third of this to grow animal feed crops.

It takes on average a remarkable 2,000 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. In contrast, one pound of pork needs 718 gallons of water, soybeans a meager 206 gallons-- 10% of what a cow requires.

Protecting Biodiversity

Deforestation for agriculture and overfishing in the ocean are two of many drivers of the looming biodiversity crisis. Beef is especially inefficient: around 60% of the world’s agricultural land is used for beef production, yet beef produces less than 5% of the world’s protein and less than 2% of its calories. 

Sadly, the world's forests, especially in the Amazon basin and across Africa-- biodiversity hotspots-- are increasingly cleared for livestock production. Paul McCartney, one of the leaders of the Meatless Monday movement worldwide, has said, “The world’s forests are truly irreplaceable. They’re home to Indigenous Peoples, amazing wildlife and are vital in our fight against the climate crisis. But these forests are being cleared at a shocking rate to farm more industrial meat and dairy. This is why reducing our meat is so important.”

Saving Lives

Many of the world’s leading health organizations also encourage a lowering of meat in our diets. The US Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics states that “appropriately planned vegetarian, including vegan, diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.” A study carried out by Oxford University’s department of public health found that eating meat no more than three times a week could prevent 31,000 deaths in Great Britain from heart disease, 9,000 deaths from cancer and 5,000 deaths from stroke.

One simple act-- giving up meat at least once a week-- allows you to cool the climate, conserve water, protect biodiversity, and improve your own health. Not bad. 

Consider joining the Meatless Monday movement, or simply reduce the amount of beef you eat, as chicken and park are far more efficient with a much smaller climate footprint. 

Both your planet and your doctor will approve.