Scientists say simple food swaps can help slash your carbon footprintThey include swapping a cheeseburger for chicken sandwich
Whether it’s bringing a recyclable water bottle or making sure you turn off the lights, many of us take measures to try to reduce our carbon footprint.
Now, a study has revealed how simple food swaps could help to slash your footprint by a whopping 35 per cent.
While you might worry that these swaps would require an overhaul of your entire diet, experts from Stanford University and Tulane University reassure that this isn’t the case.
‘For us, substitutes included swapping a beef burger for a turkey burger, not replacing your steak with a tofu hotdog,’ said Dr Anna Grummon, lead author of the study.
‘We looked for substitutes that were as similar as possible.’
A study has revealed how simple food swaps could help to slash your footprint by a whopping 35 per cent. While you might worry that these swaps would require an overhall of your entire diet, experts from Stanford University and Tulane University reassure that this isn’t the case
Swaps to slash your carbon footprint SWAP FOR Grilled beef steak (4.21kg of CO2/100g) Grilled chicken (0.51kg of CO2/100g) BBQ Beef shortribs (3.14kg of CO2/100g)BBQ Pork shortribs (0.56kg of CO2/100g) Canned corned beef (4.17kg of CO2/100g)Turkey ham (0.35kg of CO2/100g)Lamb chop (4.75kg of CO2/100g) Grilled chicken (0.51kg of CO2/100g) Cheese-filled hot dog (1.34kg of CO2/100g) Meatless hot dog (0.06kg of CO2/100g)Pastrami (4.09kg of CO2/100g) Turkey luncheon meat (0.36kg of CO2/100g) Cooked crab (5.13kg of CO2/100g)Poached salmon (0.26kg of CO2/100g)Boiled shrimp (5.13kg of CO2/100g) Boiled squid (0.53kg of CO2/100g) Cheeseburger (1.92kg of CO2/100g) Grilled chicken sandwich (0.32kg of CO2/100g) Whole Milk (0.18kg of CO2/100g) Soy milk (0.03kg of CO2/100g) Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice (0.19kg of CO2/100g) Raw grapefruit (0.16kg of CO2/100g)
In the study, the researchers set out to determine the simple food substitutions households can make to reduce their carbon footprint.
The team analysed the diets of over 7,700 Americans to identify the most commonly eaten foods with the highest climate impact.
They then simulated replacing them with lower emission options that remained nutritionally similar.
For example, a grilled beef steak was found to produce 4.21kg of CO2/100g.
Instead, the team suggests opting for grilled chicken, which only produces 0.51kg of CO2/100g.
BBQ Beef shortribs (3.14kg of CO2/100g) can be swapped for BBQ Pork shortribs (0.56kg of CO2/100g), while users should opt for turkey ham (0.35kg of CO2/100g) instead of canned corned beef (4.17kg of CO2/100g).
Other swaps suggested by the researchers include poached salmon (0.26kg of CO2/100g) over cooked crab (5.13kg of CO2/100g), and a grilled chicken sandwich (0.32kg of CO2/100g) instead of a cheeseburger (1.92kg of CO2/100g).
Overall, the team says that making some of these substitutions could reduce the average American’s carbon footprint by an impressve 35 per cent.
A cheeseburger was found to produce 1.92kg of CO2/100g. However, a grilled chicken sandwich produces just 0.32kg of CO2/100g (stock image)
‘This study shows that cutting dietary carbon emissions is accessible and doesn’t have to be a whole lifestyle change,’ said Diego Rose, senior author of the study.
‘It can be as simple as ordering a chicken burrito instead of a beef burrito when you go out to eat.
‘When you’re at the grocery store, move your hand one foot over to grab soy or almond milk instead of cow’s milk.
‘That one small change can have a significant impact.’
The researchers highlight that these substitutions are not intended as a cure-all for climate objectives.
However, they hope the findings will show how small changes can have a large impact.
‘There is overlap between sustainable diets and healthy diets,’ Dr Grummon added.
‘Our study shows that changing just one ingredient, making one swap, can be a win-win, resulting in meaningful changes in both climate outcomes and how healthy our diets are.’
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Food swaps you can make to slash carbon footprint by 35% – including swapping cheeseburgers for chicken sandwiches, and crab for salmon
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