Do BBQ ribs, pot roasts, and buffalo wings make you salivate? Do you eat these dishes at least once or twice a week? If you do, regardless of how much they tickle your taste buds, you should know you’re contributing to climate change.

José Ignacio Pompé/Unsplash | According to a study, meat production is quite detrimental to the planet

According to a recent study published in Nature Food, meat production releases two times more planet-heating gases than the production of plant-based foods. It not only puts our future in danger, but also damages the efforts towards saving the planet.

How following a vegetarian diet can save the planet

We know being a meat lover, this might come as the biggest shock of your life, but if you hear out the authors of the study, you’ll understand they’re making a valid point. 

The entire food production system works on numerous factors, like the kind of machinery used by the farmers, the types of fertilizers sprayed on the plants, and the transportation methods used in sending crops from one location to another. These factors account for 17.3bn metric tons of greenhouse gases a year. This huge figure is double the quantity of gases released from the entire United States and 35% of all global emissions!

Donald Giannatti/Unsplash | The entire meat production cycle accounts for 17.3bn metric tons of greenhouse gases a year

Atul Jain, climate scientist at the University of Illinois and co-author of the study, says the number has exceeded the expectations of everyone involved in the study. It can serve as a guiding factor for policymakers to make conscious efforts towards controlling greenhouse gases.

He highlighted that raising and culling animals is more harmful to the planet than growing veggies and fruits. The production of livestock feed for animals like pigs, cows, etc., accounts for 57% of emissions, while production of plant-based products leads to 27% of emissions.

The simple logic behind these numbers is that grazing animals need more land, and most of the time, these lands are procured by clearing out forests and natural spaces. They even consume more crops than humans do and release large amounts of methane gas. 

Xiaoming Xu, Jain’s fellow researcher at the university and another co-author of the study, says these factors combined together increase the number of emissions. He states that 1kg of wheat production releases 2.5kg of greenhouse gases, whereas a kilo of beef entitles 70kgs of emissions. You don't even need to do the math to understand the difference in figures! 

These and more experts point out that all we need to do is adopt a healthy and eco-friendly diet to combat the rising levels of emissions. Jain, being a strict vegetarian, advises people to be mindful of what they eat and how it impacts the environment. He doesn't ask everyone to go vegetarian, but says that we should reduce our meat consumption a little to support our planet. 

Ralph (Ravi) Kayden/Unsplash | All we need to do is adopt a healthy and eco-friendly diet to combat the rising levels of emissions

Scientists supporting the paper

This paper isn't the first one asking for a change in diet. For years, scientists have been requesting people to follow a vegetarian diet. Plant physiologist at Columbia University, Lewis Ziska, suggests this paper should be discussed at the upcoming UN climate talks in Scotland. Calling it damn good research, Ziska commented this study could lessen people's love for the meaty stuff.