Source: Michael Fielding, MEATINGPLACE, 12/18/15

Following the USDA recommendations to consume more fruits, vegetables, dairy and seafood is more harmful to the environment because those foods have relatively high resource uses and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per calorie, according to new research from Carnegie Mellon University published in Environment Systems and Decisions.

The study measured the changes in energy use, blue water footprint and GHG emissions associated with American food consumption patterns.

“Eating lettuce is over three times worse in greenhouse gas emissions than eating bacon,” Paul Fischbeck, professor of social and decisions sciences and engineering and public policy, said in a news release. “Lots of common vegetables require more resources per calorie than you would think. Eggplant, celery and cucumbers look particularly bad when compared to pork or chicken.”

Fischbeck and two other researchers studied the food supply chain to determine how the obesity epidemic in the United States is affecting the environment. Specifically, they examined how growing, processing and transporting food, as well as food sales and service and household use take a toll on resources in the form of energy use, water use and GHG emissions.

On one hand, the results showed that getting weight under control and eating fewer calories has a positive effect on the environment and reduces energy use, water use and GHG emissions from the food supply chain by approximately 9 percent.
However, eating the recommended “healthier” foods — a mix of fruits, vegetables, dairy and seafood — increased the environmental impact in all three categories: Energy use went up by 38 percent, water use by 10 percent and GHG emissions by 6 percent.

To read the study, click here.

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