America's Big Problem with Food

America’s Big Diet Problem
Abstract:

It is obvious that with the growing waistlines of Americans, their diet must be changed, if not for health reasons, then to reduce their carbon footprint. According to Christopher Weber and H. Scott Matthews of Carnegie-Mellon University, cutting red meat and dairy out of the diet one day a week can reduce a family’s household greenhouse gas footprint by about 4%. This is almost equivalent to obtaining 100 percent of their foods from local sources. Even food writer Michael Pollan has declared that if Americans combined a white-meat and vegetable diet with local food purchasing it would be equal to taking 30-40 million cars off of road for a year.

Cattle Facts:

According to the study, transportation emissions from the distribution of meat and dairy only account for less than 5 percent of their total emissions. To quantify it, John’s Hopkins research has shown that it takes 40 calories of fossil fuels to produce 1 calorie of beef, which also includes fertilizer application for growing cattle feed. However, Methane and Nitrous Oxide emissions that occur with beef and dairy production are far more potent greenhouse gasses than the Carbon Dioxide that is emitted during shipping and feed production.

Many environmentalists argue that grass fed cattle are better for the Earth than grain fed cattle, due to the reduced acreage needed to produce grasses versus grains, but studies have found that ruminant gasses emitted from grass fed cattle are higher in methane. Manure management also increases the greenhouse footprint of cattle production, as many farmers may pile it or reuse it on the feed field where it is free to emit the biogases. The discarded manure is also bleached into the soil where it can pollute ground water or streams.

Diet Change Facts:

The Carnegie-Mellon study broke down a diet change to its equivalent of greenhouse gas mileage reduction, and came up with the following results. If Americans would purchase 100% local, it would be equivalent to reducing their driving emissions by 1,000 miles per year. If they were to change their diet just one night a week from red meat to white meat it would reduce their miles by 760. A one night a week change from red meat to all vegetables would reduce their miles by 1,160. If red meat and dairy were given up completely, or switched to a completely vegan diet, miles would be reduced by 5,340 and 8,100 miles respectively.

A reduction in red meat and dairy in the diet can also be healthier for consumers. A John’s Hopkins study has shown that diets abundant in red meat significantly increase the risk of digestive cancers. It also found that about two-thirds of Americans are obese and that a low-meat diet or a vegetarian diet will decrease body weight and body mass index along with reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and Type II Diabetes.

Conscientious Eating:

For those Americans who love their red meat and cheese or for those who can’t afford to change their diet, there are technologies some farms are using to reduce their own greenhouse gas footprint. According to the EPA, about 110 anaerobic manure digesters are being used on dairy farms across the nation with about another 70 under construction. These digesters combine the cattle waste with bacteria to drive methane-powered generators. They produce enough energy to power about 350 homes, and since they make the farms completely energy independent, they usually pay for themselves within 5 years. Other smaller farms are sealing their manure in bins and collecting the methane gas to use for heat.

The Carnegie-Mellon study found that shipping accounts for 11% of the greenhouse gas emissions from fruits and vegetables. Vegetarians can almost eliminate this footprint with buying from local greenhouse farmers. According to the British Colombia Greenhouse Growers Association, greenhouses use only 0.01% of B.C.’s total farmland while growing 11% of B.C.’s total agriculture production. If this amount of produce was grown in a field it would require 5,436 acres. The greenhouses in British Columbia also use Integrated Pest Management practices, or good bugs eating bad bugs, zero herbicides, collect and recycle rain water, and computerized hydroponic bags to ensure no more chemicals are used than what is necessary for nutrients.

With all of the abundant land available for growing and a thriving international trade business, America has not incorporated much greenhouse technology into its agricultural economy. If it was used more widely, Americans could buy local, sustainable produce 10 months out of the year and reduce their carbon footprint even more. Until then, they should cut their consumption of red meat and dairy considerably. They should also pressure legislatures to provide more incentive for sustainable cattle and vegetable farming and promote public awareness campaigns such as “Meatless Mondays.”