My Plate, My Planet

It’s widely acknowledged that burning fewer dirty fossil fuels lessens our carbon footprint. But did you know that eating more fruit, vegetables, whole grains and less meat is better for you and benefits the planet? Both the reckless burning of fossil fuels and unsustainable agricultural practices are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.

Our diets are closely linked to the health of our planet. That’s why the Sierra Club signed on to a letter to Secretaries Sylvia Burwell and Tom Vilsack asking them to support newly released dietary guidelines that take sustainability into account.

These guidelines are released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services every five years. The guidelines shape U.S. nutrition policies and food programs, such as the National School Lunch Program and nutrition education, including MyPlate (formerly the food pyramid).

This year, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) has recommended the adoption of sustainability considerations in the 2015 edition. These considerations acknowledge the impact of food and beverages on environmental outcomes-from farm to plate to waste disposal-in order to ensure food security for all Americans. They also promote the practice of eating that promotes health and well-being.

The DGAC’s goals for the guidelines include determining “the most effective methods of improving dietary patterns and sound strategies to help promote a healthy, safe, affordable food supply.” This leads to a not only healthier diet, but one associated with far less environmental impact than the current U.S. diet.  If adopted, these recommendations would have a positive impact on Americans' health, the environment, and on our ability to access healthy foods, both today and in the future.

How we farm and what we eat can make a real difference for our climate future, and that knowledge should inform not only our personal choices but also our public policies. Currently the meat-heavy "average U.S. diet has a large environmental impact in terms of increased greenhouse gas emissions, land use, water use, and energy use". Eliminating or reducing meat consumption in our diets is one important way to reduce our contribution to climate change, since animal agriculture is the single largest source of global greenhouse gas emissions from food production.

The pollution from concentrated animal-feeding operations in particular is grossly disproportionate to the amount of food produced. And the single greatest source of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions is livestock, particularly factory-raised animals. Cattle (for both beef and milk, as well as for inedible outputs like manure and draft power) are responsible for about two-thirds of livestock emissions.

Fortunately, with these new guidelines, we can cut livestock emissions significantly. Along with adopting carbon pollution safeguards like the Clean Power Plan, the U.S. can work to combat climate change by changing something as simple as our diet.  

As Americans, we rely on our government to provide accurate, science-based information, that promotes the health of our families and our environment. And these new guidelines do just that.

So enjoy Meatless Mondays, Tofu Tuesdays, Salad Sundays and everything in between. Because a locally sourced plant heavy diet is not only good for you, but good for our planet too.