January 1st of this year, I decided (very last-minute) that I was going to lead a more plant-based lifestyle. I’ve been really good at using only vegan and/or sustainable beauty products for years, so the biggest change for me was definitely my diet. My decision stemmed from wanting to challenge myself to eat more vegetables, as well as to see if it would have any substantial health benefits for me. However, shortly after I made this resolution for myself, I came across an article from National Geographic that completely validated my decision. (You can read that article here: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/01/commission-report-great-food-transformation-plant-diet-climate-change/.)
Essentially, the article states that eating meat has ‘dire’ consequences for the planet and that in order to feed a growing global population and curtail climate change, scientists say we need to radically change our food systems. This includes a largely plant-based diet, with small, occasional allowances for meat, dairy and sugar.
**Let me preface my spiel by saying that I was raised a meat-eater. I grew up on chicken, beef, pork – all of it. I’ve had meat on rare occasions (less than five times) since January 1st and I still eat more sustainable protein options like fish and other seafood. However, the majority of my diet today is plant-based.**
You see, meat production is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. According to a report by the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), between 2010 and 2016, global food waste accounted for 8-10% of heat-trapping emissions, and currently 25-30% of total food produces is lost or wasted. Changing our diets and counteracting food waste would free up millions of square miles of land and could save as much as 15% of current emissions by 2050.
Making a lifestyle change can be hard. The same as starting a new exercise regimen or seeing a chiropractor, it takes time, dedication and consistency. For me personally, giving up meat wasn’t that hard; and this is coming from a girl who ate chicken and turkey almost every day. Yea, I miss fried chicken sometimes, but overall it hasn’t been as hard a transition as I thought I would be. And I know what you’re thinking (because I was thinking it too) – how does me reducing my meat consumption really make a difference? After all, I’m only one person. To that point, I did a small equation:
On average, I ate meat two times a day out of my three daily meals. 2 x 365 = 730 pieces of chicken, turkey burgers, meatballs, steaks, etc. a year. 730! Imagine if we all made a commitment to eating less meat?
If I’ve kept your attention to this point and you’re wondering how you can incorporate a more plant-based diet, here are a few small things you can do to get started:
- Start slow and pick a few plant-based meals you have always loved, then build on them. Maybe veggie stir-fry, a pasta dish or a soup.
- Plan a vegetarian or vegan meal once a week, then up the frequency each week.
- Try to find plant substitutes for some of your favorite foods (e.g. buffalo cauliflower wings versus boneless chicken wings).
- Reduce or cut out consumption of a particular meat, like beef or pork, and then gradually reduce/cut out more.
- Make your lifestyle change a group effort! Tell 2-3 friends about your new lifestyle endeavor and challenge them to do it with you – that way you can hold each other accountable.
