Meat is responsible for nearly 60 percent of greenhouse gases released in the food industry. The correlation between meat production/consumption and environmental issues is gaining recognition. But, sustainable food choices is typically seen as a daunting undertaking which requires an all-or-nothing approach. Contrary to what many believe the key is realizing that progress is more important than perfect. The ultimate goal is to create the most sustainable way to eat that fits with our desires and needs.
What Is A Flexitarian?
What is an flexible person? A person who eats a mostly vegetarian diet that includes occasional consumption of fish or meat or other foods, which are maybe reserved for special occasions or on weekends. This not only helps with the efforts to be sustainable but also enables the person to feel less lacking in pleasures. If everyone living in the U.S. reduced meat consumption by only 25 percent the annual greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced by one percent, which would pave the way for major strides toward sustainable development.
Here are some ways to approach the flexible way of life:
1. Weekday Vegetarian
One method to cut down on consumption of meat is to limit your meat meals on weekends and Saturdays, as well as on any days you are off from working. Workdays tend to be more structured, and limiting your plant-based meals to your regular meals and lunches is usually more manageable.
2. Meat for Special Occasions
Perhaps a plant-based lifestyle can be a possibility for you, but keep those special occasions meats. Perhaps it’s your mom’s pot roast, a chicken parmesan from the restaurant you love or a delicacy you’ve only found during your most recent journeys. Keep your meat consumption only for special occasions.
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3. Just White Meat
Production of red meats, specifically beef, is connected to environmental problems like water shortages as well as deforestation and high emission of greenhouse gases. It takes six many times as much water make the same amount of meat protein as it does it does to obtain the same amount of the protein in pulses. By avoiding red meat and choosing chicken or plant-based proteins is a major step toward sustainable development.
4. Trim Fish Eater
60 percent of the loss in biodiversity is attributed to consumption of meat. A pescatarian diet consists of consuming seafood and cutting out meat. The choice to diversify our intake of protein and may aid in better management of marine resources when it is made in a responsible way. But, choosing sustainably-sourced fish is vital to ensuring an equilibrium in marine ecosystems. Sources such as the Good Fish Guide can help here.
5. Opt for plant-based dairy
If you’re considering a completely vegan diet for your first time try out alternative dairy products. The production of dairy products made from plants generally has a lower environmental impact, which makes it a viable option for those who are concerned about the earth. Soymilk requires about 95 percent less freshwater and land and emits 70 percent less greenhouse gases than cow’s milk.
6. Better Meat, Same Budget
Instead of removing meat from your shopping list, you could maintain the same budget for meat but use it to purchase healthier meat that is ethical. High-quality meat generally costs more, which means you’ll eat less but it’s also more eco-friendly.
Contrary to industrially manufactured counterparts, meat raised on pasture allows animals to roam free and benefit the surrounding environment and the animals. It also can be carbon-sequestering and providing a negative carbon advantage. This green approach helps the earth and the animals’ health.
In a society that is increasingly aware about the environmental impacts of our choices in food These sustainable options for diets offer a variety of options. The key is not following a certain label, but in making deliberate choices that all make a difference to the development of a more sustainable culture for food. For more helpful tips download Commons to join us in our network that includes tens of hundreds of thousands.
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