Earth-Friendly Meals - Age 8+
Summary: Eating less meat saves money, is healthier and can heal the earth.
Description
Meat and dairy products have a large impact on climate change. Livestock produces close to 15 % of the world's greenhouse gases each year.
Food waste, too, is a significant contributor to climate change - a whopping 8% of emissions relate to food waste. About 30% of the food produced globally isn’t eaten. Both the greenhouse gases created during production of those foods and the emissions arising from decaying food in landfills could be avoided.
Eating (a little) less meat and eating everything we buy are two simple but powerful ways we can have a big impact on climate change.
Start with less beef. Add more plant-based dishes into your meals. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers for another day. And try keeping track of what your family throws out so you can all work together on changing your habits. That’s better for the wallet as well!
Deep Dive
Great practical resources:
https://sustainabilitymattersdaily.com/7-innovative-ways-to-reduce-your-meat-consumption/
https://www.mondaycampaigns.org/meatless-monday
https://www.drawdown.org/solutions/plant-rich-diet
Steps to Take
Changing your own habits can inspire others. Start small, then get others involved as well:
- Keep a record of how often you eat meat for a week.
- Have a vegetarian meal once, twice, maybe even three times a week. There are lots of great choices in all kinds of cuisines.
- Start by trying some of the new "alternative meats" in the super market once a week. Often they are in a cooler near the produce section.
- Take your family to a restaurant that has a good selection of vegetarian or vegan options. There are more and more of them as people learn about the great flavors and the health benefits of eating less meat.
- At your next check-up, ask your doctor about the benefits of eating less meat. You might be surprised about how many there are!
- If you enjoy eating less meat - and we bet you will - share recipies or restaurant tips with family and friends.
- Try to eat dairy products only once a day.
- Bonus Action: Watch the movie Game Changers about amazing athletes who stopped eating meat altogether!
Super Impact Action!
Write and submit a Letter to the Editor encouraging people to reduce their meat consumption.