Last Monday, I attended the table talk about eco-anxiety. The discussion was based on an article in The Atlantic, about the effect of dietary choices on the environment. The article suggested that if everyone, hypothetically, substituted beans for beef, the U.S would come close to meeting its 2020 greenhouse-gas emission goals. It’s astounding that such a drastic change can be achieved by a single dietary ‘swap’, without any other variations in diet (The consumption of other meats and animal products can stay constant), energy infrastructure or transportation. More than anything, this statement reveals problems with meat production.

Usually, cattle in industrial systems are fed a mix of corn, soy and other grains or beans. Historically, they used to graze on pastures and were fed a mix of hay and other grasses. Among with a few other discoveries, it was found that animals that were fed caloric-dense foods, as opposed to grass, tended to gain mass at a quicker pace. Since farmers that adopted this new feed were able to produce meat at a faster rate, the industry quickly shifted to caloric dense feeds. A significant amount of fertilisers are required to produce these new feeds in the required quantities. Although cows are notorious for being generators of methane, the use of fertilisers to produce their feed also adds significantly to both the total carbon footprint and to environmental pollution.

Even though meat production has issues of sustainability, it is not reasonable to advocate a complete stop in the consumption of beef or any other meat/animal product. Statements like the one made in the article are important as they indicate inefficiencies in the current food production system. However, they may not be the most effective guideline for personal action. Diets are varied, with every individual having different needs or inclinations towards different foods. Another method of dealing with eco-anxiety related food and food production would be structural and education changes to encourage a balanced diet, as opposed to over-consumption of certain foods (Specifically those with a high carbon footprint).