I have been a vegetarian for many years, but it was not until I understood the nexus between animal agriculture and climate change that I gave up dairy. It was an adjustment to learn new recipes for sure, but the upside is huge. The food is incredible and I am lighter both physically and mentally knowing that my dietary choices are part of the solution rather than the problem. With great cookbooks like “Oh she glows”, the whole family is now on board and loving it.
A major new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences last week lays out the facts of why plant-based diets are key to better health and a sustainable biosphere:
The food system is responsible for more than a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions while unhealthy diets and high body weight are among the greatest contributors to premature mortality. Our study provides a comparative analysis of the health and climate change benefits of global dietary changes for all major world regions. We project that health and climate change benefits will both be greater the lower the fraction of animal-sourced foods in our diets. Three quarters of all benefits occur in developing countries although the per capita impacts of dietary change would be greatest in developed countries. The monetized value of health improvements could be comparable with, and possibly larger than, the environmental benefits of the avoided damages from climate change.
See: How reduced meat consumption can save $31 trillion–and the planet.
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