Green Your New Year’s Resolution: Eat Less Meat

Happy new year! You may have already committed to the bulk of your resolutions, but deepening your shade of green will do us all good. This week, we’ll be giving you easy-to-stick-to ways to make 2009 greener.

Tip #2: Eat Less Meat

The statistics say it all:

Livestock production generates almost 20 percent of the world’s greenhouse gases — more than the entire transportation sector. If Americans reduced meat consumption by just 20 percent, it would be as though we all switched from a sedan to a hybrid. (New York Times)

Animal factory farms pollute U.S. waterways more than all other industrial sources combined. And you’d save more water by refraining from eating a pound of beef than you would by not showering for an entire year. (E - The Environmental Magazine)

Producing 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of beef emits more carbon dioxide than does going for a three-hour drive while leaving all the lights on at home. (The Guardian)

Those who can’t cut out meat entirely might decide to be carnivorous on only one or two days of the week.

What are your ecofriendly New Year’s resolutions? Please tell us in the space for comments below.

Comments

[Christina]

Great article! It inspired me to write a couple possible new year's resolution suggestions on my own blog but I'll post the main resolutions here. I have linked back to this article since it was the original suggestion that inspired my post. My suggestions are as follows:

1. Eat less meat, just one portion of meat is actual the size of the palm of your hand (or a box of playing cards). Many of us overeat the actual recommended daily amount of meat. I have a handy chart from Canada's Food Guide on my blog stating how many portions are appropriate for certain ages/genders)
2. Eat locally grown produce
3. Grow your own garden (and maintain it)
4. Walk More, Bike More, Bus More, Drive Less

I think I'll be writing up some more as I think of them. I hope you don't mind me linking to the full blogpost here: (http://greeningme101.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-years-resolutions-can-keep-you.html)

I love this blog, keep up the great work!

[Dog Gifts]

I stopped eating meat over a decade ago... try it; I promise you won't regret it!

[Patti]

I plan to eliminate chemicals from cleaning products (more baking soda and peroxide)and to eat organic whenever possible. I already eat very little meat, but will continue to cut down. I'm also going to switch to organic cosmetics and lotions or at least those with the least chemicals.

[Carol]

Are you nuts! I do everything in my power to save this planet. I do not intend to give up a juice3y steak or roast beef. Get the farmers to do more to eliminate the manure and eliminate the run off into our waters. NO! I keep the meat!

[Elaine]

I so agree with this. I became a vegetarian ten years ago, due to ethical and environmental reasons. One thing people may be concerned about is protein requirements. Americans eat way too much protein. A lot of food has protein in it that you'd never imagine, like bread and some vegetables. Read your food ingredient labels. I got used to figuring out how much protein I needed in two weeks. Look at the Food and Drug Admin. website to see how much protein you need. I eat multigrain bread each day and I try not to eat any white food, so I maintain a healthful diet. However, I don't deprive myself of food I like. I make my own hot chocolate each day with soy milk, sugar, and baking cocoa. That way I control the ingredients and use less sugar. I use a tiny hand mixer (found in kitchen supply stores - usually used for cappuccino), because the baking cocoa doesn't mix well. I make myself a two egg cheese and tomato omelet each lunch - that's the extent of my cooking!

[Karen]

I disagree with the idea that to truly be committed with the green movement you have to be vegetarian, and I'm tired of hearing about how I need to give up meat!! First, meat is part of a healthy diet, and there is nothing wrong with eating it. Second, telling people to end consumption all together hurts farmers who sustainably and responsibly raise animals for food. When people say "support locally grown, organic food", maybe they should remember these farmers, too. If you choose not to eat meat for ethical or religious reasons, great! Just don't forget that you need to respect my traditions, too. I am dedicated to doing all I can to help the planet, and I will do so continuing to support *ALL* local organic farmers.

[GreenReen]

The best approach is to find a better spot for yourself on a continuum towards a vegetarian diet.

If you eat 3 meat meals a day, reduce to 1 or 2; if you eat meat 7 days a week, reduce the number; etc.

It doesn't have to be all or nothing! Anything is better than nothing.

And almost any other meat is better than beef for the environment and your health.

[Deborah]

I gave up beef about 5 years ago and don't miss it at all. I've switched to LED light bulbs throughout my house and last year switched to all environment-friendly household cleaners.

[John De Seyn]

Thought provoking and important, but I think it would be helpful (and improve response) to give more education on the derivation/background of the facts cited. Perhaps aTip #2 debriefing?

[Diane]

My resolution is to never stop resolving to do better. A few years ago I got a compost tumbler for my birthday, last year I got a doggie septic for Christmas (Doggie Doodler) and I got a worm farm (vermiculture) for Christmas this year. Now most of our food scraps will be turned into beautiful compost year round and we'll have even less trash.

The dryer will be running less in our home this year, I hung a line in the basement for clothes since its winter and I cannot hang clothes outside for a few more months.

[Beau Broughton]

Going vegetarian and then VEGAN is the best decision you'll ever make. Something most people don't realize is that by no longer consuming animal products you're not only helping animals and the environment, but humans (who have to work in slaughterhouses, packing facilities, etc) and your own health. Goveg.com has all the info. you'll ever need and vegcooking.com offers tons of delish, cruelty-free recipes.

[x-ray fluorescence]

Hi,
Great blog.I do everything in my power to save this planet. I do not intend to give up a juice3y steak or roast beef.

[Casey]

The stats are misleading and putting out bad information always hurts environmentalists in the long run. The number of 20% comes from the UN which includes deforestation in the Amazon to create this number. No one believes that the Amazon is being deforested solely for agricultural production. If the Amazon wasn't cleared for soy production, it would be cleared for development or timber sales. In the US 27% of greenhouse gases comes from transportation and only 17% from agriculture. Shame on the environmentalists for not being truthful. Farmers and agriculturalists are the first environmentalists that not only care deeply for the land but make it so the rest of us have a choice about our diets, careers and lifestyles. And I'm sure the home you're living in was once farmland. Once the soil is paved, it's gone forever. Farms help keep America green. Support local farmers!

[Denise]

I had a meat eating nephew (19) and a vegetarian nephew (21) visiting for a week over the holidays. I didn't say anything about meat, but I didn't serve it -- just my usual vegetarian fare. The night before he left, my meat eating 19-year-old nephew said, "If I could eat like this all the time, I would have no problem being a vegetarian."
So that's my new goal. Feed good vegetarian food to more people -- many of whom can't imagine what one lives on without a big wedge of an animal's body front and center on the plate. (I am also stopping to call meat "seared animal body parts" to meat eaters.

I often feel like someone opposed to slavery in the pre-Civil War South. The system (slavery or factory farmed meat) is established and comfortable for those who dominate, and they don't want anyone to say otherwise -- even though it seems ethically and environmentally very wrong to me, and keeping silent seems wrong.

My vegetarian nephew pointed out that I don't appreciate the way people opposed to abortion make their point and try to force their will on everyone. Now I'm in a rethinking process and not sure where it will lead.

[pthompson100]

I'm a veggie but I think it would be helpful to the discussion to distinguish between "food" animals raised in factory farms versus raised in a certified humane and organic manner. What is the difference, carbon footprint-wise? I don't preach vegetarianism to my meat-eating friends but if someone wanted to know, it would be handy info to have.