Live
- India is 'Mother of Democracy': PM Modi
- ‘One nation, one election’ will undermine India’s federal structure: Mehbooba Mufti
- ‘Bachhala Malli’ trailer heightens anticipation
- Karnataka quota row: Backward Class forum chief warns Lingayat seer over 'tinkering with reservations'
- Tight security arrangements at Group-II examination centers District SP
- Alia Bhatt captures attention in white
- Varun Dhawan talks about ‘Baby John’
- ‘Moonwalk’ trailer promises a quirky heist, love, and loyalty
- Combat leaf spot disease
- Ahsaas Channaopens up about her complex character in ‘Mismatched 3’
Eating vegetarian diet can add to climate change
Highlights
Contrary to claims by vegetarians and the activist groups that promote their world view and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger\'s speech at the United Nations climate talks in Paris, eating a vegetarian diet could actually add to climate change.
Washington D.C : Contrary to claims by vegetarians and the activist groups that promote their world view and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger's speech at the United Nations climate talks in Paris, eating a vegetarian diet could actually add to climate change.As per the new Carnegie Mellon University research, following the USDA recommendations to consume more fruits, vegetables, dairy and seafood is more harmful to the environment because those foods have relatively high resource uses and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per calorie.
The study measured the changes in energy use, blue water footprint and GHG emissions associated with U.S. food consumption patterns.
Eating lettuce is over three times worse in greenhouse gas emissions than eating bacon, said researcher Paul Fischbeck, adding "lots of common vegetables require more resources per calorie than you would think. Eggplant, celery and cucumbers look particularly bad when compared to pork or chicken."
On one hand, the results showed that getting our weight under control and eating fewer calories, has a positive effect on the environment and reduces energy use, water use and GHG emissions from the food supply chain by approximately 9 percent.
However, eating the recommended "healthier" foods, a mix of fruits, vegetables, dairy and seafood, increased the environmental impact in all three categories: Energy use went up by 38 percent, water use by 10 percent and GHG emissions by 6 percent.
The study is published in Environment Systems and Decisions.
Next Story
ADVERTISEMENT
