CNBC: Why we may have to change the food we eat to help the planet

Many of us are now spoilt for choice when it comes deciding what to put on our plates. And while it may be nice to have the option of dining on steak each night, there are significant environmental costs.

Factory farming, better refrigeration and globalization have all transformed billions of people’s diets. From beef, chicken and fresh seafood to exotic fruits and vegetables flown in from around the world, we are now spoilt for choice when it comes deciding what to put on our plates. Many diets are now based around meat, while dairy products such as butter, milk and cheese are no longer viewed as luxuries.

It may be nice to have the option of dining on steak each night, but there are environmental costs. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has previously said that emissions from global livestock amount to an estimated 7.1 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent each year. This, according to the FAO, represents 14.5% of “anthropogenic” — something which derives from human activity – greenhouse gas emissions.

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