If you’ve been on the internet at all in the last couple of years, you’ve probably heard about plant-based meat. It goes by many names: alternative meat, fake meat, impossible meat, and beyond meat, to name a few. Advocates for this product claim that switching from animal-based meat to plant-based substitutes will positively impact the environment, but how accurate is that statement? Let’s take a look at the environmental pros and cons of plant-based meat.
There are many obvious benefits to stopping our usage of animal-based meat. For starters, raising livestock depletes much of the earth’s resources and is responsible for much of the world’s pollution and global warming. It produces 14.5% of greenhouse gas emissions, uses up a whopping 83% of farmland (think about it- that’s 4/5ths of farmland going to feeding animals, not people), and consumes 34% of crops and 50% of the world’s freshwater. It takes 2,000-8,000 gallons of water to produce ONE POUND of beef, while it only takes 300 to produce the same amount of tofu. Wouldn’t it make more sense to use those resources to directly feed people? Overall, the production of plant-based meat uses around 93% less land and 87-99% less water than animal-based meat production while emitting 90% less greenhouse gas emissions.
While the benefits listed above definitely favor alternative meats, there are some drawbacks to consider as well. The increase in popularity of brands like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat has resulted in increased agricultural production, amplifying the existing issues caused by the
agriculture industry. More food production means more toxic chemicals entering freshwater supplies and soil degradation. Plant-based meat is highly processed in order to achieve the meat flavor. Also, the secret ingredient to making plants look and taste more like meat lies in a molecule called heme, often found in red meat, that must be genetically engineered into yeast and fermented. This contributes to the problematic usage of GMOs, or genetically modified organisms.
These downsides may seem like a reason to reconsider the switch to plant-based meats. However, according to experts, the alternative is MUCH worse. Surprisingly, it takes a staggering 89% more GMOs to produce beef than plant-based meat. Furthermore, the GMO used to create alternative meat, soy, is ten times better than regular meat in terms of air pollution. Additionally, the modification involved is usually focused around efficiency and lower resource use in contrast to regular meat production.
Evidently, there are numerous environmental benefits to cutting down on animal-base meat production and consumption and switching to plant-based alternatives. This is in addition to the countless health benefits provided by plants as opposed to animal meat, such as less saturated fats, zero cholesterol, more fiber, and increased amounts of beneficial vitamins and minerals. Plus, stopping animal-based meat production means helping to end the human-caused suffering of animals around the world. Whether you’re looking to lose weight, improve your heart health, save the planet, or stop animal abuse, plant-based meats are the future of the food industry and will likely solve many problems caused by animal-based meat and help humans reduce their carbon footprint.
Meera M
The Carbon Newsprint
Sources:
https://www.rd.com/article/plant-based-meats/
https://btbfoods.com/blog/9-surprising-benefits-of-plant-based-meat-substitutes/
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