Should you give up meat to fight climate change?

Climate change is undoubtedly caused by human activity – mainly through the release of CO2 and other pollutants into Earth’s atmosphere. While most of this is because of corporate activity and production, we all have a part to play in reducing emissions. Every one of us has our own “carbon footprint” – that is, the amount of CO2 that our consumption and other activities release into our atmosphere.

In a previous article, I talked about how much of our current crisis is systemic, and that big action is required to make significant changes. But that doesn’t mean the smaller things we can do as individuals can’t have an impact. Last time I used plastic as an example; here, I’ll be talking about meat consumption.

I am personally not a vegan or vegetarian, and have no ethical problem with eating meat in and of itself. But regardless of your leanings on this issue, meat production (especially beef) is a large contributor to climate change.

Food production in general accounts for around a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, and meat is a large part of that. Cattle and rice fields alone are responsible for 50% of methane released into our atmosphere. Beef takes up 20% more land and produces 20% more emissions than beans. Meat production is far more resource intensive than plant-based foods.

A pure vegan or vegetarian diet would have enormous benefits in the fight against climate change. The good news, however, is that you don’t necessarily have to give meat up completely.

Just reducing how much you eat has positive effects. Even changing the kind of meat you have is a smart decision. Chicken has less than half of the carbon footprint of beef, as an example.

However, for those of us who live in Japan, depending on your region and your job it might be harder than expected to reduce meat in your diet. The Japanese diet as a whole is not that vegan-friendly, and people in large cities often work long hours without the time to cook proper meals. Cheaper options such as bentos and fast food rarely have vegetarian options.

Still, reducing your meat consumption when you can is better than avoiding the issue altogether. Even in a rush, choosing a bowl of soba without a meat topping as opposed to something like gyudon (beef bowl) can make a difference.

The little things we do, while not as impactful as systemic change, can still add up. Every plastic product not used or meat product not consumed are small stepping stones to a cleaner and safer future.