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Whatever the Instagram influencers tell you, vegetarianism and veganism isn’t for everyone. There are a lot of reasons one might want to keep eating meat: they’re low on iron, they struggle taking vitamins, they have a general dislike of chickpeas. Finances are another factor; vegan options in particular are often expensive and, outside of cities, often inaccessible (unless you want to eat nothing but fruits and vegetables).
But the guilt is real. After all, the carbon footprint of eating meat isn’t pretty. But going without simply isn’t possible or desirable for a lot of people. After all, we should still enjoy what we’re eating, and for some of us, chickpeas and soya aren’t going to cut it.
Fortunately, there are other ways to reduce your carbon footprint that don’t require cutting out burgers:
Reducing food waste. Menu planning and mindful grocery shopping make a big difference here. In addition to reducing food waste, making a menu and sticking to it will also save you money and fridge space. Plus, it cuts the daily drudgery out of deciding what to make for dinner.
Cut down on meat a little. It’s hard to give up the things you love, but cutting down a little is a much easier pill to swallow. Reducing your meat intake to a few meals a week rather than every meal is a simple and doable way to help out.
Buy local and organic food. This one can be trickier, since it can be more expensive. But if it’s possible, it’s ideal because you’ll get fresher, in-season produce and support your community at the same time.
Go plastic-free. Food waste isn’t just about food—it’s about the packaging. Plastic-free stores will let you bring your own containers and fill them up, which means less waste, which means a smaller carbon footprint.
Going meat-free isn’t ideal for everyone, but there are other ways to help the environment. It’s important to find what works for you, and it’s okay if that looks different for everyone.
Photo credit: Mae Mu via Unsplash