With only 12 years left to prevent catastrophic climate change, as Sierra Club members, we would like to do whatever we can to help. One thing we can do every day is minimize our carbon footprint (and demands on water) by eating lower on the food chain.
Carbon Emissions and Water Usage
In the United States, agriculture contributes about 9% of greenhouse gases every year. About 60% of these come from animal agriculture: meat, eggs, and dairy products. Per gram of protein, beef and lamb produce approximately 250 times the amount of greenhouse gas emissions as legumes.
33% of methane emissions in the United States come from agriculture. Of these, 85% come from animal agriculture, with ruminants' bodily gas emissions accounting for 69%, and manure accounting for 26%. By going vegetarian, people can reduce their food-related greenhouse gas emissions by 31%, and by going vegan, people can reduce them by 45%.
Animal agriculture uses an enormous amount of natural resources. About 80% of the world's agricultural land is used to feed livestock, either for grazing or growing feed. Outside of Antarctica, 26% of the Earth's land surface is used for grazing livestock. In the Amazon rainforest, about 80% of deforestation is carried out to make space for beef or dairy cattle.
While almond growers have been blamed for using 10% of California's water supply during the state's ongoing drought, California's meat and dairy farms use about 47% of the state's water. California produces about 20% of the United State's dairy products. On average, a lactating cow drinks 30-50 gallons of water per day, and possibly more on very hot days. In addition, she eats about 100 pounds of food per day, adding to her water footprint. In California, alfalfa, much of which is fed to dairy cows, uses 15% of the state's water supply.
According to a study done by Joseph Poore of the University of Oxford in England, going vegan lowers your environmental impact more than driving an electric car or no longer flying. The study found that even meat and dairy products with the lowest environmental impact still use more resources and create more greenhouse gases than the highest impact grains and vegetables.
Sierra Club Roles
The Sierra Club has a long history of advocating for food issues. Twenty years ago, the Club raised awareness of the damage done by CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations) to the environment and humans. The Club also played an important role in getting the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 passed. Sierra Club continues to advocate against CAFOs across the United States and abroad.
Members of the Massachusetts Chapter want to continue the Sierra Club tradition of protecting the Earth through our food choices. We are starting a team that will raise local awareness of the meat industry's impact on climate change, as well as encourage people to eat an environmentally-friendly vegan diet. PLease join our team, and come to our first meeting in late March. The specific date is still being worked out. If you are interested, contact Kevin to be added to the list!
Written by Sara Sezun, Massachusetts Sierra Club Volunteer