Associated Actions

Environment

Our choice to consume meat proteins as opposed to vegetable proteins comes at a huge environmental premium. If we removed the average beef component of one person's meat diet we would save water equivalent to the total consumption of 6.5 average households. It's mind-blowing, really.

The type of meat we eat – primarily sourced from cows and sheep - also has huge impacts for Australian land. These non-native, hard-hoofed, grazing animals cause significant damage to fragile Australian soils and require extensive land clearing for feeding, causing further damage to the land.

Wellbeing

By reducing the amount of meat in your diet you reduce the chance of developing many common diseases and health conditions, including heart disease, hypertension, many cancers, obesity, stroke, osteoporosis, kidney stones, diabetes, hypoglycemia, kidney disease, peptic ulcers, gallstones, asthma, diverticulosis, constipation, and macular degeneration (deterioration of the retina). In addition, plants contain no cholesterol and are high in fibre.

Eat Less Meat

Meat is the sleeping giant of a sustainable lifestyle. The Australian National Dietary Guidelines (published by the Federal Government's National Health and Medical Research Council) recommends one to one-and-a-half serves of meat, fish, poultry or meat alternatives each day. A serve constitutes 65-100 grams of cooked meat. Hence, the Australian National Dietary Guidelines are recommending that if a person adopted the highest edge of their meat consumption recommendations (i.e. 100g of meat 1.5 times a day) they would consume 54.75kg of meat, fish, and poultry or meat alternatives per annum.

However, the average Australian consumes 123.8kg meat, fish, poultry per annum (ABS 1997-98) despite the highest recommended amounts being less that half of this (i.e. the 54.75kg noted above).

If we adopted the recommendations of the Australian National Dietary Guidelines and halved our meat consumption we would save both money and the environment while also improving our health.

An average Australian spends approximately $23.86 per week on meat, fish, and poultry (ABS 6403, 2004) or $1240.75 per annum (prices vary by location and time). So by halving our meat consumption we should save approximately $620 per annum.

The environmental impact of halving your meat consumption is harder to calculate; however in 2005 the University of NSW and CSIRO conducted "A triple bottom line analysis of 135 sectors of the Australian Economy" called "Balancing Act" from which it is possible to calculate the environmental impact derived from a dollar spent in any of the industry sectors analysed. Using the 'meat products' sector the environmental benefits of reducing your meat consumption by half (to the recommended levels) are as follows:

  • Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions - 7,092.8 kg CO2
  • Reduction in water use - 206,627 litres
  • Reduction in land disturbance - 51,150 m2 or 5.115 hectares

These figures suggest that current meat consumption results in over a third of our ecological foot print. So eat well and help us move to a more sustainable and healthy diet.

How to do it now!

Learn how to replace meat in your cooking.

Making the shift from carnivore to herbivore is a challenge. However, for those keen enough to try there are local groups and sites eager to assist your change with advice and support. You might even find you enjoy a more diverse and healthy diet.

Great Vegetarian recipe sites:

Why this action is important?

Vegetable proteins, an alternative to meat, can be produced for a tenth of the land and water cost of meat. In Australia, the sharp hooves of cattle and sheep contribute to the loss or degradation of our soil, water and native habitats. Health experts also warn that Australians generally eat too much meat, so reducing our intake would be sensible for our environment, our health – and our hip pocket!