Less Meat and Dairy Consumption: Help Save The Planet

China’s health ministry recently released new dietary guidelines advocating less meat and more fruits and vegetables. Specifically, they are asking the nation’s 1.3 billion people to reduce their meat consumption by more than 50% between now and 2030.  If successful, this reduction in meat consumption would be greater than all of the meat currently consumed in the United States, which has less than one quarter the population of China.

In the last 30 years (since the mid 1980’s), Chinese meat consumption quadrupled. Currently, the average Chinese consumes 139 lbs of meat per annum, still lower than per capita consumption in the United States and Australia.  The proposed reduction is primarily for health reasons, however this will also help lower greenhouse gases and therefore have a positive impact on global warming.

How does reducing the amount of meat and dairy consumed impact climate change?  Livestock is the largest source of methane gas emissions worldwide. In the U.S. it ranks just behind gas exploration/ production, and rotting landfills.  One cow can produce between 30 and 50 gallons of methane per day and there are approximately 1.3 to 1.5 billion cows on planet earth.  This quickly adds up to a lot of methane, which is 21 times more potent at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, and unit for unit, is the most destructive of the greenhouse gases. Since the early 19th century, global methane gas emissions have increased by 150%, according to NASA.

The "Less Meat, Less Heat" advocates have attracted some unexpected allies: Attached is a 2 minute video featuring The Terminator and director James Cameron referencing the new Chinese policy, and advocating lower meat and dairy consumption to help reduce greenhouse gases.

Want to do your part to help save our planet? Consider eating less meat and dairy products.