Increased carbon emissions are changing our planet through rising temperatures as well as sea levels, which contributes to more heatwaves, droughts, and storms, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
Things like reducing our meat consumption and shopping locally can help; however, Maggie Gill, a nutritionist at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, says that climate-friendly diets should be practiced in moderation.
"We need to eat a balanced diet, sure, the production of beef and lamb and milk can't be disassociated from the production of the greenhouse gas methane. But we couldn't produce enough calories and protein to feed the world if we banned the keeping of sheep and cattle."-Maggie Gill.
In addition, replacing too much meat with plant-based foods can also have a high environmental footprint. Cattle and sheep have an incredibly important role within our ecosystem of turning grass into high-quality protein.
Making small changes can be as little and as simple as swapping out your choice of meat a few times a week instead of trying to change all three meals daily.
With that being said, here are a few foods recommended by experts that you can include in your daily diet that will help mitigate your effect on the climate:
Local and seasonal produce
Buying local and seasonal produce reduces processing and packaging. Pay attention to the seasonal fruits and vegetables and utilize them to your advantage in making wholesome meals.
Whole grains
Things like whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and other whole grains have a lot of health benefits as well as less processing and energy requirements environmentally, which lowers our carbon footprint.
Chicken
Beef requires more land and water, and it has higher carbon emissions. Swapping beef for chicken a few times a week can decrease your carbon footprint by nearly half.
