Just eat plants.
YSK that apart from not having a car, the single greatest thing you can do for the climate is simply eating less red meat
Submitted 8 months ago by Wulri@lemmy.world to youshouldknow@lemmy.world
https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/3041d99b-25ff-4dac-8c2f-21bda6a1210d.png
Comments
infinitesunrise@slrpnk.net 8 months ago
Ileftreddit@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Until Exxon and BP are no longer in business and global shipping transitions to zero emissions, there is nothing an individual human can do that will have an impact in any way on global climate. They problem is systemic, not individual
threeduck@aussie.zone 8 months ago
If everyone decided to stop eating meat today, 10-15% of the entire planets GHG gasses drop, an area the size of all of the Americas can be rewilded (animal ag uses 50-100x the land per kilo of food over plant based), we stop wasting 70% of our antibiotics on animals, the plastic left in the ocean drops by half.
Most things in life you have little control over: you can’t easily stop driving to work, you can’t easily remove all your plastic usage, you can’t easily cut back on your electricity usage.
But you CAN easily cut out animal ag. Like, today. You can just look up plant based recipes for dinner instead of the meat ones. This is entirely consumer choice driven, entirely.
Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 8 months ago
and these companies often secretly fund other groups or companies telling “you” the customers to reduce your carbon footprint, so they dont have to. and you know those recent climate protestors defacing property, funded by these groups.
Twelve20two@slrpnk.net 8 months ago
Just Stop Oil is funded by petrochemical companies?
Alsjemenou@lemy.nl 8 months ago
Okay. But as an individual we still have a choice. And knowing what clearly is worse, while having minimal impact on your life if not doing it. It doesn’t exactly feel like a smart decision, to have red meat/animal products in general. Can i at least call you dumb?
Ileftreddit@lemmy.world 8 months ago
I mean it’s really funny you asked permission to call me dumb, lol. “Carbon footprint” was a term invented by BP. The red meat industry is a methane polluter, but while we can estimate how much methane a cow produces, the oils and gas industry have no idea how much they lose. like they don’t even keep track of how much methane gets just wastefully vented into the atmosphere. youtu.be/K2oL4SFwkkw
jumping_redditor@sh.itjust.works 8 months ago
how does hunted vs farmed meat compare?
imTIREDnhungryboss@lemmy.ml 8 months ago
or eat the wealthy is a better start
leftytighty@slrpnk.net 8 months ago
Ok go ahead, instead you’ll do nothing.
imTIREDnhungryboss@lemmy.ml 8 months ago
ya gotta hit em at right time, I can’t be all willy Billy, online saying imma eat em and go hunting, let them prep and prepare for it, I like the deer’s to have landmines, and having guns on my deer hunts
Notyou@sopuli.xyz 8 months ago
I heard it would be better for our health to compost the wealthy and eat the crops that grow.
AdolfSchmitler@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Rice and refried beans for me! (my cholesterol is high)
AnimalsDream@slrpnk.net 8 months ago
Just be sure to scrutinize the ingredients in those refried beans. A lot of them contain lard.
Also, don’t forget to include as many dark leafy greens in those rice and beans, which will help a lot in lowering cholesterol.
AdolfSchmitler@lemmy.world 8 months ago
I do green peppers and asparagus, green but not so much leafy lol, along with a sweet onion. Meal prep that stuff on Sunday and my lunches for the week are all taken care of. It’s like one of the few areas of my life I feel like I’m doing pretty well in.
Octagon9561@lemmy.ml 8 months ago
How is dark chocolate so high? :o
Notyou@sopuli.xyz 8 months ago
Ikr. That’s my favorite type of chocolate.
PlantDadManGuy@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Slash and burn Cocoa farming
Rentlar@lemmy.ca 8 months ago
Can we please have a source for the YSK statement you made in the title and the graph?
I have seen data on not having kids being the biggest choice a person can make to prevent future emissions. You also didn’t mention flying less often, or not flying when a reasonable alternative exists. What is the relative impact of all of these things compared to dietary changes? Numbers on that would be helpful.
hobovision@mander.xyz 8 months ago
The metric of per kg of product, while entirely fair, can be a bit misleading when it comes to making high impact decisions in your life. The switching to tea example is a good one to criticize because on this chart coffee is quite high up there, but I consume only 15g of coffee a day, compared to probably close to a kg of meat, egg, and dairy. Eliminating coffee would not be a high climate impact decision.
AnimalsDream@slrpnk.net 8 months ago
The prevalence of people telling everyone not to have kids in the context of our current culture is weird.
Alt-right: “Hey we’re trying to have as many kids as possible so there’s more of us, and less of you. Do us a favor and don’t have kids.”
Evidently a lot of people on the left: “Sounds good dude.”
May I propose a reasonable alternative? If you don’t want to have kids, cool, don’t have kids. If you want to have kids, have the financial and social security to do so responsibly, and a partner who wants the same thing, then have kids (but also go vegan, ride a bike, and raise them to do the same).
Aka, you do you.
isyasad@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Also, I don’t think anybody honestly believes the argument that it is immoral to have children “without their consent.” The idea that you cannot do anything to someone else without their consent is a very useful idea in 95% of situations, and this is clearly one in which it does not apply. I did not consent to being born, but I would have if I could. Imagine a bureaucracy in which to apply for a passport, you needed to have an existing passport. It just doesn’t work. I can see the logic, but the idea has failed on a functional level. You can apply this to anything and make fake disingenuous arguments for any cause: “I don’t think we should elect a president unless they’ve already been president before. I think it’s a role where you absolutely need to have prior experience.” “You need to consent before being born. Since it’s impossible to do so, I guess it’s just immoral to have children.” See: Catch-22.
It is more difficult to have children now than it was 20, 40, 60 years ago. Some people feel the need to further justify their decision by convincing themselves that would be immoral to do anything else.
AnimalsDream@slrpnk.net 8 months ago
Yeah I’ve debated with antinatalists who used that argument. It’s definitely an absurd stance on the face of it, though some aspects are worth considering. For example if you struggle significantly with cognitive disorders, and life is hell for you, you might want to ask yourself if it’s a good idea to bring someone in the world who very likely will experience a similar hell. And of course socioeconomic concerns matter too. I’ve only ever had entry-level jobs, and owning my own house kind of feels like a distant dream, so having children is practically infeasible. Plus the whole living in what’s shaping up to be an all out fascist dictatorship thing.
lightnsfw@reddthat.com 8 months ago
I’m certainly not going to bring kids into this shitty world when I have no confidence whatsoever that they will have a good life. Things are going downhill FAST and there’s absolutely no reason to believe that situation is going to change. It’s going to be bad enough with just me having to live with this shit for another 20-30 years (assuming nothing kills me before that).
AnimalsDream@slrpnk.net 8 months ago
Those are all fair points and something I think about as well. You do you.
MITM0@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Suuuuure buddy red-meat is the problem here. www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMErlqYmgsE
jnod4@lemmy.ca 8 months ago
Accounting for emissions per kilogram isn’t that fair, can we account for emissions per 1000 kilocalorie? Or emissions per protein?
threeduck@aussie.zone 8 months ago
A Poorer & Nemecek meta-analysis (2008) found that beef uses 20x more land and produces 10-20x more GHG than alternative meat (like impossible meat or classic fake meat at the supermarket). Lean beef is 26g of protein, plant meat is 25g (plant meat does have half the kilokalories)
I did the research for you! All I ask is that you forever go vegan forever thank you (or maybe just try impossible mince in your spag bol next time, either or)
jnod4@lemmy.ca 8 months ago
I had my first steak this year the other day visiting my only childhood friend. Tbh I’m planning my suicide by the end of the year anyway so I couldn’t care less about y’all remaining on this planet. (living in England and everyone I meet talks about rounding up the immigrants, I have no other home as my hometown has been leveled down, [artillery/drone striked by the russians])
Spare the animals from cruelty while humans get glassed in Ukraine, Gaza, Iran, Yemen, soon Bosnia again and so many others I can’t even name
hans@feddit.org 8 months ago
that paper isn’t all it’s cracked up to be
Lifter@discuss.tchncs.de 8 months ago
Emissions per capita would be interesting
KairuByte@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 months ago
What is the population number for a handful of legumes?
surph_ninja@lemmy.world 8 months ago
We need significant subsidies invested into vat grown meat. But now Big Ag is getting it banned in every state it can. Texas and Florida have already banned it.
DarthFrodo@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Plant-based meat alternatives have also become much tastier, cheaper and available, especially over the last decade. Cultivated meat will be great for steaks and stuff, but for many things we already have replacements that are quite good.
Some store brand meat alternatives have already reached price parity with factory farmed meat here in Germany, and this will continue as the industry scales up.
surph_ninja@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Yeah, those options are available. And people largely don’t want them.
infinitesunrise@slrpnk.net 8 months ago
Counterpoint, end all meat & dairy subsidies completely.
AnimalsDream@slrpnk.net 8 months ago
While cultured meat really could be a game changer (as long as it’s being done in a way that doesn’t exploit and harm animals in and of itself), let’s not forget that plants in and of themselves are amazing, right now.
SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Being alive is bad for the environment.
AnimalsDream@slrpnk.net 8 months ago
infinitesunrise@slrpnk.net 8 months ago
A surefire way to zap a bunch of ideologically-motivated activists into a puddle of fatalistic nihilists.
DogWater@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Not disagreeing that meat is bad for the environment, but I think not having kids is probably way above that.
dropped_packet@lemmy.zip 8 months ago
Who looks at this world and wants to bring life into it? I fundamentally cannot wrap my head arround that.
misteloct@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 months ago
I just had a kid and I also believe the world is on fire. Firstly we’re extraordinarily privileged and even then I wasn’t sure. Secondly we just wanted to and are able to, it’s not excessively stressful because we have enough money and good jobs (my panic attacks have been the normal new parent variety, not the “world is on fire” kind). Third I guess it gives me some hope. Our kid will have their own path. But whatever they choose they’ll be trained to spot disinformation and religious thinking like a sane adult so that gives me some hope. Hopefully it’s enough to counteract the 100 other Idiocracy right wing children.
DogWater@lemmy.world 8 months ago
I agree completely. I’m lucky to have a partner that agrees
Bytemeister@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Yeah. Just had this convo with my partner two days ago.
Reasons why I don’t want kids.
Number one, they can’t consent to being born, If given the choice, I would not consent to being born right now, why should I force that on someone else.
Number two, we can’t afford kids right now, even with both of us working full time jobs. (Not bragging, but both my partner and I make over the median household income for our area. I legit have no idea how other people do it, because we are paycheck to paycheck right now.)
Number three, even though abortion is legally protected in the constitution of my state, our legislators at the state and the federal levels are seeking to undo those protections against the will of the people. There is no guarantee that if we had a complicated pregnancy, that they would survive or even be able to find healthcare.
Number four, we are knowingly perpetuating an ongoing climate disaster. I can’t in good faith bring someone into this world knowing that they will be displaced or die because the part of the planent they live on may become inhospitable due to our inaction.
Number five, we’re seeing the rise of far right antagonist fascist movement worldwide. At this point a global war for basic human rights is inevitable, if not already started.
Number six, there are always hundreds of thousands of children stuck in the foster/adoption system who are destined to struggle for the rest of their lives because of a lack of family support. I would adopt long before I would consider bringing another person into this world.
Thanks for attending my doom rant.
zeca@lemmy.eco.br 8 months ago
I want to, but its a desire, its not rational.
Cowbee@lemmy.ml 8 months ago
Veganism is good, necessary even, but more than voting we need to actually overthrow capitalism and replace it with socialism. Profit will destroy the planet unless we take control of the reigns from capital.
SapientLasagna@lemmy.ca 8 months ago
Socialism so far has an absolutely terrible track record with environmental protection. Unless you’re just talking about being able to directly force societal change in general, in which case you’re arguing for eco-flavoured despotism.
Socialism doesn’t even promise environmental protection, rather being focused on worker rights and minimizing inequality.
Cowbee@lemmy.ml 8 months ago
Socialism has a better track record than capitalism, but either way, my point is that necessary systemic changes need socialism for them to happen. Socialism isn’t a promise, it’s a mode of production. Further, countries like the PRC are rapdily electrifying, at the top of solar panel production and infrastructure initiatives, and combatting desertification, that’s the power of a publicly driven economy.
infinitesunrise@slrpnk.net 8 months ago
We should do both.
Cowbee@lemmy.ml 8 months ago
Yep, but for systemic changes socialism is necessary. We should do what we can right now, but we can’t cause systemic change without socialism.
MITM0@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Yeah plants, the only thing that creates Oxygen
infinitesunrise@slrpnk.net 8 months ago
Actually the majority of atmospheric oxygen is produced by phytoplankton, which are mostly bacteria and protists.
AnimalsDream@slrpnk.net 8 months ago
On a planet were 95-99% of people consume animal products, and still heavily participate in the systems of animal captivity, brutality, and exploitation; can you explain how overthrowing capitalism and replacing it with socialism is going to make a vegan world happen?
Cowbee@lemmy.ml 8 months ago
Socialism will not automatically create vegan world, it hasn’t done so anywhere socialism exists. However, it does swap from profits as the end-all, be-all of how society is organized, to one where humanity can better plan production and meet people’s needs. If capital is in the driver’s seat, then the meat industry will continue to perpetuate said brutality and environmental destruction unimpeded. If humanity is in the driver’s seat, then we can actually work against what would be assured in a profit driven model.
The swap to veganism will never be instant, but it will be largely impossible without human supremacy over capital.
gerowen@lemmy.world 8 months ago
You can’t survive around here without owning your own car. The nearest Walmart to me is a half hour drive at 60mph and we don’t have taxis in any of the towns around me. That’s 7 hours of walking, each way. No buses or trains either. The closest store of any kind to me is about 2 hours each way if I walk.
TheRealAsmodeus@lemmy.world 8 months ago
That’s intentional
dropped_packet@lemmy.zip 8 months ago
A lot of the anti-car sentiment comes from urban, or European communities where population is a lot more dense.
Rural America will be the absolute lowest priority, because there are fewer people spread farther out. Anyone who wants to make someone feel bad about that is just a dick.
doingthestuff@lemy.lol 8 months ago
I can travel by train? Lol. Nice bubble you must live in.
knexcar@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Maybe not but there’s a good chance your town has a local bus system. Whether it’s any useful is another question, but it’s worth at least looking at the routes/schedules in case it’s one of the lucky few cities that’s kind of tried to make their bus system not suck.
doingthestuff@lemy.lol 8 months ago
Nope, no buses. If I drive ten minutes there is a bus stop that runs the wrong direction. I’m not in a rural location. Just no public transportation. There is a free bus service for seniors but you have to schedule rides a week in advance.
IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds@lemmy.world 8 months ago
question, how come beef is so cheap it’s it takes so much resources?
if it’s just subsidies, then we should get rid of them
brendansimms@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Not loving that the exact source of the data in this graph is not clearly linked in the description.
Jhex@lemmy.world 8 months ago
so how many fewer burgers do I skip to compensate for one of Musk’s jet joy rides?
UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml 8 months ago
I thought pork was red meat
catty@lemmy.world 8 months ago
YSK this is BS. You ain’t gonna stop corporate-created climate issues by eating one or two fewer cows.
whome@discuss.tchncs.de 8 months ago
I get that individuals aren’t the problem impact wise but couldn’t it be the case that if the majority of people life a more sustainable life it will be easier to create laws that put stop the real poluters bc people are in support of such regulations?! If the majority of people think the existence of billionaires is immoral, it will be easier to tax the rich…
pleaaaaaze@lemmings.world 8 months ago
Voting is guilt. If you vote for fake ass liberals and their posturing ecology you’re no better than a rich guy with a yacht
Bronzebeard@lemmy.zip 8 months ago
Sure, but like ~8 companies produce like 75% of the pollution. Their biggest con was shifting the responsibility to individuals to change their habits instead of forcing them to clean up their factories
Vanilla_PuddinFudge@infosec.pub 8 months ago
I thought it was overthrowing oppressive world governments and holding environmentally-damaging businesses accountable for their actions, hm.
blue_skull@lemmy.world 8 months ago
I could devote all my time to recycling, reducing carbon emissions, not driving, voting, not eating red meat, including forcing everyone i know to do the same - and the net result would be an iota of a drop in the ocean of change. i.e. nothing.
As others have said, until there is a global shift on how the world operates and the major oil companies, cruise lines, and airlines all shut down, nothing you or i can do will matter.
LanguageIsCool@lemmy.world 8 months ago
blue_skull@lemmy.world 8 months ago
I’m just laughing cause you still don’t get it. Nothing you do will matter. Yes, that’s depressing, and it’s also true. The numbers don’t check out. You can wave it away all you want, nothing you do will matter. Sorry.
LaLuzDelSol@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Airlines, cruise lined oil companies are not immutable forces of nature. They have grown to their current size to meet the demand of individuals like you and me who want to buy shit and go places.
If everyone stopped flying, passenger airlines would be out of business and no longer flying planes within a year or two. Same with cruise companies. Oil is used in more things but if everyone switched to EVs or stopped driving oil production would go way down- even more if we cut our plastic usage as well.
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking consumers are powerless. In a free market economy they are very powerful- that’s why boycotts can be so effective.
daq@lemmy.sdf.org 8 months ago
Could you name a few successful boycotts? I did a quick search and recent examples don’t seem that successful to me. Amazon is still doing amazingly well and Nestlé is still killing people.
Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 8 months ago
people need to get over the idea of not earting farmed bugs, its more efficient and eco-friendly.
butwhyishischinabook@lemmy.world 8 months ago
A quarter of emissions is nothing? Yeah the overwhelming majority is attributable to major oil companies, but you’re just being lazy and fatalistic. But sure, just sit there and wait for a paradigm shift to come save you from yourself I guess. Literally the first two search results I found:
www.dw.com/en/…/a-63595148 c2es.org/…/regulating-transportation-sector-carbo…
hans@feddit.org 8 months ago
from your article:
wampus@lemmy.ca 8 months ago
Yeah, cruise lines opening back up and returning to business as usual after COVID, basically made me stop paying attention to a lot of this individual-targeted climate change stuff. That was a perfect and fairly natural way to end that high pollution luxury oriented industry, but everyone basically said “boomers still like cruising, so fuck the planet”.
If boomers and rich people can continue to pollute at incredible rates, just give me my stupid plastic straw back. At least that way I can drink a full mlikshake before my straw turns into paper mache, while I watch the world burn.
fuck_u_spez_in_particular@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Right but you have to begin somewhere, and being a good example for others certainly helps as well.
I try to change my life such that it doesn’t impact me much while having fairly large effect. For instance I’m basically vegan (still eat meat occasionally, e.g. when it’s otherwise thrown away), I even don’t want to eat meat anymore, the taste just got worse for me over time.
It also has effects on the market, e.g. Meat replacement products are quite affordable and popular.