Jewcology: Eat Less Meat

Received via Jewcology.com:

Eat Less Meat

Action: Replace one six-ounce portion of beef with a plant-based meal each week. 

While red meat is widely known as a cholesterol and high blood pressure culprit, it also has an effect on the health of our planet. The production of meat is much more costly in terms of energy than the production of plant foods.  

Replacing one serving of beef with a plant-based food significantly cuts associated greenhouse gas emissions, due to the combination of the reduction in required input energy from fossil fuels to grow plants vs. livestock and the fact that cattle, unlike vegetables, produce methane gas as a consequence of enteric fermentation, a greenhouse gas over 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

Eating lower on the food chain means lower energy costs for food production. Beans or nuts make protein- rich alternatives to meat, as do quinoa, tempeh, and many kinds of vegetables, such as kale, broccoli or spinach.

*Thanks to the Jewish Vegetarians of North America for helping us think through this action.