Where's the Beef?

I am normally a mostly-vegetarian..... I do eat fish and dairy, and I usually enjoy a little bit of turkey on Thanksgiving. However, about 1/3 of the way through both my pregnancies, I have started eating meat on a regular basis. It seems a little counter-intuitive, but I think my body just craves more protein than I can get from legumes and dairy (I am allergic to nuts and try to limit my soy intake).
So, now that I am a regular carnivore, I have been thinking more about meat production and it's (rather large) impact on the Earth. Even though sustainably raised meats are quite a bit pricier, I have decided to forgo quantity for quality, essentially eating less of the good stuff. Choosing locally raised meats grown without antibiotics or hormones is better not only for my health but also for the health of our planet. I have also decided to stick to chicken, turkey and pork as my meat protein sources.
Red meat (beef) takes the most resources (land and water) to produce and releases the most greenhouse gas emissions in the process. So, cutting back on your red meat consumption is a definite plus for the environment. According to Do One Green Thing, skipping red meat (and replacing it with another meat) for 1 day a week will save the same carbon emissions as driving 760 fewer miles a year! That is a fairly significant road trip worth of driving! Also, cutting back your red meat intake will significantly save water resources. For example, one hamburger needs 10,000 liters of water to be produced! Holy cow (pun intended)!
So, if you choose to eat meat, consider cutting back on your red meat intake... even one less day a week can make a huge difference. I will likely (to the upset of my husband) go back to my vegetarian ways after baby #2 arrives, but until then I will try and make my impact as a carnivore as minimal as possible. Pin It Now!