The types of meat we choose at the grocery store or at a restaurant matter for the sustainability of the planet.
The common meats start with lamb and beef as having the highest impact on the environment to the lowest being chicken or turkey.
These rankings come based on different sustainability aspects: land use and carbon emissions, just to name a couple.
Meats ranked from highest to lowest impact:
#1. Lamb
#2. Beef
#3. Seafood
#4. Pork
#5. Turkey
#6. Chicken
What are the benefits of eating sustainable meat?
- Climate change mitigation can occur by choosing meats with less impact via carbon emissions.
- Land use can be reduced when staying away from a heavy diet of beef.
- Eating less beef can increase biodiversity by reducing land use change or land conversion from forested.
How can I get started eating more sustainable meats?
To get started choosing the best meat just think about the ranked list first. This is a good place to start. There are many other attributes to consider. But if you’re just starting out, try to limit the top tier and increase the least impactful.
There are a few ways to make sure you stick to a regiment:
Planning: To be successful, planning is a great way to make sure you reach your goals.
Mark your spots: If you eat at a few places, then it’s easy to mark those on a list and jot down what you’re planning on having before you ever go.
Make a menu: Making a weekly or monthly menu can help reduce instances of choosing other items that aren’t on the list. We’re not saying you can’t indulge sometimes. It’s best to stick to your regimen on most days as it helps with learning your new sustainable habits and helps the planet at the same time.
Continuous improvement: Continue to study the best methods for raising your meat of choice and the best practices for sustainability, such as pasture-raised.