Climate solutions and personal sacrifices: why cutting meat matters

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Several studies have now suggested that switching to a vegan or vegetarian diet severely cuts individual environmental impacts. This is due to the lower levels of emissions that vegan and vegetarian diets produce, fewer air miles from the transportation of food products, as well as growing green initiatives to switch energy use to wind power or solar farms. 

For many, it is a valuable choice that acts as a catalyst for becoming more climate-aware and incorporating more sustainability into one’s daily routine. However, one research study by the non-profit RSC Energy Systems suggests that households will have to eat 50% less meat and dairy in order for the UK to be carbon neutral by 2050 – and for a large percentage of the population, this is a significant sacrifice to make. 

As a vegetarian since the age of twelve, my choice to stop eating meat and fish originated from the fact I, conveniently, never liked either as a child. They were never the most notable part of the meal. As soon as I learned about the processes of meat production and slaughterhouses, I stopped consuming them both almost immediately. I didn’t even know there was a name for it at first – but the more I realised that vegetarianism and veganism do not only save animals, but our planet, too, I felt even better about my decision and would never go back. 

“Sustainability does not have to be difficult…”

Personally, to be sustainable, I choose vegan options where possible (in coffee shops, for example). A lot of the time, I barely notice a difference; the environmental impact is subtle and positive. Sustainability does not have to be difficult – it can start by bringing your own coffee cup or water bottle with you to campus to reduce single-use plastics, shopping second-hand, or eating fresh produce that is currently in season. 

I have no medical implications from eating less meat. I ensure that the key nutrients missed from a lack of meat products is made up for with plant-based foods. This is where many go wrong – by choosing veganism or vegetarianism, you objectively opt for a sort of deficit, whether it be in your diet or your nutrients. But it doesn’t have to be this way! 

It is easy to supplement these elements accordingly. A quick search for key nutrients in meat can help you seek out plant-based alternatives, i.e. B12-rich nutritional yeast or plant-based milks, calcium-rich tofu and kale, iron-rich spinach and lentils, or Omega-3 with rich chia and flaxseeds.  

“three-quarters of people living in the UK admit that they think it is important to eat sustainably…”

Other essential vitamins can generally be found in fresh fruit and vegetables, but this does not have to be the limit on a meatless diet. With plant-based alternatives in growing popularity, we are now more than equipped to weave sustainability in our diet. 

Furthermore, given that three-quarters of people living in the UK admit that they think it is important to eat sustainably, it is time that we put our beliefs into practice – even if full-on veganism or vegetarianism is not your target, minimising our animal product consumption in meat and dairy is an excellent starting point.