To think we should all eat less meat & dairy

[grumiosmum]

... because of the climate crisis (as well as our health)

Important new report out today: www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49238749

I think the whole world should stop destroying the rainforest
People should walk if going local

I agree, maybe we should all share our favourite ‘meat free’ recipe??

I'll eat what I want

I whole heartedly agree. And I'm one of those people who does enjoy meat, grew up eating it almost every day still do mostly, although I am making a huge effort to reduce our intake as a family

100% agree I have suddenly become very aware of all of this climate change stuff and I must say it really worries me.i don't drive don't holiday aboard don't smoke drink I recycle I kept a tree in garden trimmed it instead of removing etc etc I do try but we all have to make changes now !

What makes you think imported foods like lentils have less effect on the climate than locally grown foods?

Yabvu. What makes you think imported foods like lentils have less effect on the climate than locally grown foods?

Saddler do you have children?

I eat what I want, and I want to eat less meat and dairy as I think it's something I can do that' will make a difference to my kids' future.

It's not the only thing, but it's an important part of it.

Absolutely. I now use oat milk and avoid all dairy products. I sometimes eat fish or chicken but no other meat. Probably dropping the chicken when I move out of my present lodgings. Iit is not that difficult really.

TheInebreati Read the UN report. It's absolutely clear on this point.

I've got a good idea, you eat what you want and stop pontificating to others about what they eat.

So we are all too fat because we eat a diet high in carbohydrates and should be eating more protein. But on the other hand we're not meant to eat meat because it causes global warming.

What are we meant to eat then? Dust?!

YANBU. I went vegetarian and massively cut down on my dairy & egg consumption because of the environmental impacts.

We will all have to make changes one way or another - we can choose to mildly inconvenience ourselves now, or deal with societal collapse in a few decades.

By the attitudes already on this thread, similar to any other climate change-relatef thread on here, it's looking more like the latter.

I read an article in the Irish Times about the obscene conditions that cattle are subjected to when being transported ( to their deaths). It has kept me awake many, many times. I was never a regular meat eater but this is the final nail in the coffin. Ditto the shit life of dairy cows.

I saw this on the news and while I don't dispute the point I do worry how this will affect British farmers.

there are big dangers in switching from meat. THIS country - the UK with its rolling hills - is well suited to grazing animals, grasslands etc.

If we switched to non-animal, we would probably have to go for the big monoculture arable crops - beans, wheat, potatoes. These produce a very barren landscape for insects and small animals. They require large amounts of artificial fertilizers (no animals to poop in the fields) and in order to grow enough of them, would be non-organic. And what will keep the moorlands and hillsides grazed? Who has the money to conserve the wellbeing of these wildlife preserves? Farmers put sheep on them, nothing further required.

It really is not as simple as meat bad, veggie good in the UK - our land and climate is suited to mixed farming and grass - I don't want to eat my grass green - I prefer it in the form of lamb...

Fatted I eat meat occasionally, but usually chicken as its carbon impact is lower than lamb or beef.

I get most of my protein from pulses, like lentils, chick peas and beans. And I do still eat organically produced eggs.

I'll eat what I want thanks anyway. How about you do what you want.

And I do what I want.

How about you only eat locally produced, organic, seasonal produce that doesn't require air miles and excess plastic packaging to travel? Surely that would be even better for the environment, than increasing reliance on a whole host of foreign foods that are intensively farmed to be available out of season?

Totally agree, but I refuse (literally) to accept that dairy is necessarily a bad thing.

(I love cheese and butter too much, really).

There are a lot of fantastic British farmers who are devoted stewards of the earth & their livestock, we should support them and throw agribusiness to the wolves.

We will all have to make changes one way or another - we can choose to mildly inconvenience ourselves now, or deal with societal collapse in a few decades.

This for me too. I try to move away from meat-centric meals. I don’t find it difficult at all, and our health benefits.

How about you only eat locally produced, organic, seasonal produce that doesn't require air miles and excess plastic packaging to travel?

This is exactly how I live already! I don't buy anything that's been air freighted, and only buy fruit & vegetables grown in Europe, if not the UK.

We are a banana and avocado-free household.

I read an article in the Irish Times about the obscene conditions that cattle are subjected to when being transported ( to their deaths). It has kept me awake many, many times. I was never a regular meat eater but this is the final nail in the coffin. Ditto the shit life of dairy cows.

Yes. I realise this spells economic disaster for farmers, but I do not agree with the international trade of livestock. It simply cannot be humane.

I saw this on the news and while I don't dispute the point I do worry how this will affect British farmers

There are things developed nations farmers can do with different feed regimes, grow more veg but as i understand it, its beef and dairy that is the real problem areas, not sheep or chickens?

As regard to insect life, well, our current farming practices have seen them decimated, so we need to change regardless, no insects, no plant life, no cattle, no US !!!!

We have deliberately reduced our meat consumption as a family and have cut back massively on beef and lamb.

We have our own chickens for eggs and a good vegetable garden plus an orchard and so our food miles on lots of things are also very low.

We do however have a dog and two cats and so meat features heavily in their diets.

I think it's important to note that the UN isn't saying STOP eating meat and diary, but EAT LESS.

For example, I think farmers could continue to rear ethically produced meat - e.g. grass-fed beef, rather than intensively farmed. It would cost more but we would eat less of it.