Eating Behaviors & The Environment Paper

Eating Behaviors and The Environment 

October 10, 2024 

Your eating habits could be killing the planet. According to Dr. Wanko's writing classes observational survey on student food consumption, meat and carbohydrates were the highest consumed food groups and fruits and vegetables were the lowest. Based on the random selection of students, there was an average of 5 servings of meat that students consumed within 2 days. Meat tastes good, but how healthy is it, really? 

Food sustainability is the idea of producing food in a way that is economically manageable and socially beneficial, while preserving the earth's resources. One aspect of this idea is meat reduction. The meat industry is impacting our planet through land degradation, greenhouse gas emissions, and deforestation.  

During my research, the website “The Hill” (2023) states that the meat industry is responsible for 85% of soil erosion, 41% of deforestation, and 80% of Amazon deforestation. The meat industry erodes the soil and removes trees and plants from large patches of land in order to make more room to grow and keep livestock. Although they create more room for animals, they also destroy the homes of other native species, causing them to travel into unknown environments, and some even become extinct. Native animals and livestock numbers are growing and causing tension in the search for food and space (Clark, 2022) (Stand for Trees, 2024).  

Clark (2022) stresses that lower meat consumption could help combat deforestation and preserve forests. She advocates for a change to plant-based diets as a way to help the climate and combat climate change. Ben Williamson’s article “Our Addiction to Meat Is Killing the Planet — It’s Time for Change” also focuses on the advocacy component of convincing people that there is an urgent need to reduce meat consumption to save the planet (Williamson, 2023).   

Though meat reduction and plant-based diets are good for the environment and our bodies, many argue that plant-based diets are expensive, hard to maintain, nutrient-lacking, and inconvenient. There are many roadblocks to convincing people to change their eating habits due to cultural, religious, and personal preferences. Meat alternatives and lab grown foods are not perfected yet and are often deemed worse tasting than eating regular meat.   

Meat production has a major environmental impact. According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the global livestock industry is responsible for 14.5% of all yearly industrial greenhouse gas emissions, particularly nitrous oxide and methane. This is more greenhouse gas emissions than the whole transportation sector (ChemTech, 2024).  

Jeanna Smiley’s article “Sustainable Gastronomy: Can Food Abundance Be Sustainable?” focuses on the broader aspects of sustainable eating and gastronomy, with a specific emphasis on the potential abundance of food while still being sustainable. She advocates for plant-based diets and new food technologies such as lab grown meat for its health benefits. When people go on plant-based diets, demand for meat products decreases and because the demand goes down, it gives researchers time to create meat products in a more environmentally friendly way. There are studies showing that a plant-based diet can be just as healthy if not healthier than an omnivore diet by providing phytochemicals and antioxidants that support your immune system. Plant foods also decrease inflammation and lower the risk of cancer (Alexander, 2019). 

In “Sustainability and Meat Consumption: Is Reduction Realistic?” by Hans Dagevos and Jantine Voordouw, they focus on the question of whether reducing meat consumption is realistic given the societal, cultural, and economic factors that incline people to eat meat. They analyze the eating habits of people and acknowledge how hard it is to change our diets. Dagevos and Voordouw advocate for small changes that could help the planet such as portioning food and incorporating more plant-based foods into our diets, instead of cutting out meat all together (Dagevos, Voordouw, 2017).  

Among the many reasons to cut out meat from your diet, there are also many different opinions on how to persuade people to change their diets. Some researchers think that advocacy will convince people, while others think that larger scale interventions will be the most effective. Williamson critiques initiatives such as “meatless Mondays” stating that while this may help reduce meat consumption, policies and socioeconomic change is needed (Williamson, 2023).  

A common topic that threads all the articles is how challenging behavior change can be when it comes to food consumption and meat reduction. All three sources highlight that while there is an increased awareness of the environmental, ethical, and health reasons for not consuming meat, the biggest hurdle is changing behavior and eating patterns.  

The environmental impact of meat is clear and the need to implement sustainable diets continues to grow. Reducing meat consumption can lower greenhouse gas emissions, combat deforestation, and improve public health. While there are many ways to help change people's eating behaviors, the most effective way to reduce meat consumption is by addressing the socioeconomic determinants and emphasizing population health. Implementing policies regarding taxation on meat products, putting programs in place that encourage an increase in plant-based food consumption as well as promoting health nutrition. While societal change will be gradual, this is a great start to the advancement of community health and environmental sustainability.  

Works Cited 

Alexander, H. (2019, November). 5 benefits of a plant-based diet. MD Anderson Cancer Center; MD Anderson Cancer Center. https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/5-benefits-of-a-plant-based-diet.h20-1592991.html 

Clark, S. (2022, March 10). WANT TO CUT DOWN ON DEFORESTATION? EATING PLANTS SAVES TREES. Thehumaneleague.org. https://thehumaneleague.org/article/meat-industry-deforestation-cop26 

Eurogroup for Animals. (2021, April 22). Beef production drives deforestation five times more than any other sector | Eurogroup for Animals. Www.eurogroupforanimals.org; www.eurogroupforanimals.org. https://www.eurogroupforanimals.org/news/beef-production-drives-deforestation-five-times-more-any-other-sector 

Stand For Trees. (2021, October 23). Death in the Forest: Deforestation Effects on Animals and What You Can Do. Stand for Trees; Stand For Trees. https://standfortrees.org/blog/deforestation-effects-on-animals/ 

Tech, A. C. (2024, January 31). How Does Eating Meat Affect Climate Change? - Advanced ChemTech. Www.advancedchemtech.com. https://www.advancedchemtech.com/how-does-eating-meat-affect-climate-change/ 

Williamson, B. (2023, September 29). To avert climate catastrophe, the US needs to do more than Meatless Mondays. The Hill; Ben Williamson. https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/4226458-to-avert-climate-catastrophe-the-us-needs-to-do-more-than-meatless-mondays/ 

Dagevos, H, & Voordouw, J. (n.d.). Sustainability and meat consumption: Is reduction realistic?. Taylor & Francis Online. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15487733.2013.11908115