Writer： Greenpeace
According to the "World Vegetarian Population Report" survey, Taiwan's vegetarian population has exceeded 3 million in 2020, accounting for 12% of the total population. In addition to religious factors, many people choose plant-based diets due to health concerns, love for animals or environmental protection. A eating habit of less meat and more vegetables is not only good for health, but also helps slow down climate change. However, there are some "blind spots" in daily life, which may increase the carbon footprint of plant-based diets instead of decreasing...
According to a study published in the medical journal "The Lancet", by 2050, the amount of meat eaten by each person in the world should be controlled below 300 grams per week, which is equivalent to three chicken breasts or a large steak. . At the same time, for nutritional balance, each person also needs to increase their intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes by about 50%. In fact, a diet with less meat and more vegetables is not only good for health, it is also the easiest and most effective way for you and me to help slow down climate change in our daily lives.
"Food" is closely related to climate change
Humanity's excessive demand for meat has led to large-scale reclamation of forests, clearing forest land for raising animals or growing soybeans for livestock. Currently, you and I have lost 20% of the Amazon rainforest, and the defense line against climate change is rapidly disappearing.
Humanity's excessive demand for meat has led to large-scale reclamation of forests, clearing forest land for raising animals or growing soybeans for livestock. Currently, you and I have lost 20% of the Amazon rainforest, and the defense line against climate change is rapidly disappearing. According to research figures released by Nature Food in 2021, 19% of global carbon emissions come from animal food, producing nearly 9.8 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year. This statistic is not just the emissions of livestock, but also the feed grown to feed them.
Global meat consumption has doubled over the past 60 years and, on current trends, will increase by another 76% by 2050. In order to produce more meat and maximize profits, companies use large-scale deforestation and burning of forests to reclaim land. Currently, 26% of the land on the earth is used to raise livestock or grow feed. Data show that agriculture and animal husbandry-related production leads to 80% of global deforestation incidents. The out-of-control forest fires in the Amazon rainforest in recent years are related to the meat on your and my tables.
In line with the principle of having the best of both worlds, vegetarianism and environmental protection
Most plant-based foods are low-carbon ingredients. Choosing more seasonal, local, and natural plant-based foods is not only good for your health, but also helps slow down climate change. In fact, reducing your meat intake is good for your health and the environment. Research from the University of Oxford found that most plant-based foods have 10 to 50 times lower carbon emissions than animal-based foods. However, if you want to be both vegetarian and environmentally friendly, you must not miss the following key principles:
1. Avoid over-reliance on imported food ingredients
Many plant-based foods (such as plant-based meat and oat milk) mostly import ingredients from overseas, which adds a lot of carbon footprint during transportation, packaging and warehousing, increasing the burden on the environment.
2. Purchase seasonal and local ingredients
Non-local ingredients must be imported through transportation, and ingredients that are not produced in season will use more resources such as water and air conditioning. Therefore, purchasing and eating local and seasonal ingredients can shorten the food transportation distance and reduce costs. Carbon emissions from transportation.
3. Buy as much as you want and don’t overfill the refrigerator
Statistics released by the Environmental Protection Agency in April 2021 show that the food waste produced by Taiwanese people increased by 6.3% in 2020 compared with the previous year. In Taiwan, which has a negative population growth, the amount of food waste has not decreased but increased, which shows that Taiwanese people waste food. The situation is getting worse. And if food waste were compared to a country, it would be the third largest carbon emitter in the world! When you and I cook at home, if we make accurate purchasing and cooking plans, it will help reduce food waste and subsequent carbon emissions from the source. In addition, excessive storage in the refrigerator should be avoided, otherwise it will affect the circulation of cold air and increase power consumption by 4% to 5%. When purchasing vegetable ingredients, if you can follow the principle of appropriate amounts and buying naked, you will get twice the result with half the effort in reducing carbon emissions.
4. Reduce take-out and use more environmentally friendly tableware
Bring your own shopping bags when shopping and try to sell ingredients naked; bring your own lunch boxes and tableware when eating out. In addition to packing leftover food, it can also reduce waste pollution caused by using disposable tableware.
5. Reduce processed products and try to eat whole food
Although "artificial meat", or "plant-based meat", has set off a wave of vegetarian food craze and provides vegetarians with new choices in food ingredients, artificial meat, vegetarian ingredients, etc. are still highly processed foods, and the manufacturing process still consumes a lot of money. There are many resources, so it is recommended not to rely too much on food.
To sum up, every step of the process of planting, harvesting, packaging, transportation, and sales of the ingredients you and I eat every day has an impact on the environment. Therefore, the prototype of natural, local, and seasonal plant foods , has the lowest environmental risk. If it can be combined with the principles of appropriate amount and naked purchase, the carbon reduction effect will be twice the result with half the effort. (Further reading: What is a carbon footprint? Why can reducing your carbon footprint cool the planet?)
Eat less meat and more vegetables to protect the climate and environment
In May 2021, Greenpeace launched a vegetarian food project in Taiwan, with the call of "Open your mouth and change the world with food" to promote to the public a dietary habit of less meat and more vegetables to slow down climate change. Over the years, Greenpeace has continued to advocate a diet with less meat and more vegetables. In May 2021, it held the world's first online "Carbon Food Exclusive Party" and developed 3 dishes made from local fresh vegetables. Delicious carbon-reducing cuisine, and invited many well-known Internet celebrities and artists to respond. The relevant video posts attracted nearly 200,000 views on social platforms in less than a month after they were launched. On September 29, Greenpeace launched the "World Meat-Free Project" to encourage the public to participate in the initiative of "eating to change the world".
We invite you to support the Greenpeace Vegetarian Food Project and join the "Open Your Mouth, Eat to Change the World" campaign. You are also invited to promote the concept of "less meat and more vegetables" to your relatives and friends, and replace meat with plant-based ingredients by changing your eating habits. , take care of your own health and that of the earth at the same time, slow down climate change, and save our common home planet with a vegetarian diet.
***If you need to refer and verify the latest statistics, kindly visit below professional page:
https://worldanimalfoundation.org/advocate/most-vegetarian-countries/.
