Did anyone see this article we posted to social last week? Thought y’all would find it interesting, I realise the news article is from 6 months ago but it’s still really interesting.
It’s based on research by a guy called Joseph Poore. Absolutely fascinating study where he looked at the 40 foods that make up 90% of the global diet and looked at their environmental impact. But not just carbon emissions like most research is done - which brings up arguments about much vegan food being bad because of the air miles - but about carbon emissions, land usage, water usage, acidification and eutrophication.
Listening to a podcast about it he says that the impact of the lowest-impact animal products typically exceeds those of the highest-impact vegetable substitutes. For example this means that using any plant milk, from any corner of the earth, is better than cow’s milk from around the corner in terms of environmental impact.
Are many of you using Huel particularly for the environmental reasons of plant-base diet?
It’s not true though. The number one thing we can do is not breed any more humans. The environmental impact of every one is catastrophic… Especially in developed nations with developing nations striving for the same, things are just getting worse. Worldwide meat consumption is increasing.
Reminds me of the question on QI where they said something along the lines of “What could this family do to have the biggest positive impact on the environment” and after the usual hilarious jokes about willies and bum holes the answer was “have their pets put down” since they’re on a pretty much 100% meat diet.
I know a fellow vegan who is all about animal suffering and doesn’t seem to worry about the environment at all. Not interested in reduce reuse recycle on any level. I’ve tried pointing out that our environment and their environment is the same thing, but the dots just don’t seem to connect. I went vegetarian “for the animals”, and far too many years later I went vegan, but to me all the reasons for going vegan seem to be intertwined. Personally I feel a plant based diet is better for me, better for the animals and better for the planet. But I’m not sure exactly how I would feel and what I would do if veganism was worse for the planet, or even worse for my own health. I suppose it would depend on the degree to which it was worse.
I care about the environment and also care about animal suffering, hence years of (semi-) vegetarianism. I am still not completely convinced that total veganism is best for the planet but am becoming more convinced that eating more plant protein and less and less animal protein is better for me. Oh and count me in for stopping human reproduction as this is the most seriously scary thing ever.
Love how they say “Switch to a hybrid” or “Switch to an Electric” as if either are plausible to the majority of the population.
Sure, I’d love a Tesla, but if I’m paying £70k-£100k for my vehicle you can bet it’s going to be a C63S and not an electric.
Maybe if an Electric comes in at a more budget friendly £20k-£30k there will be more people switch to it.
There’s also the aspect of futility to consider - No matter what we do in the West, we’re dwarfed by China, India, Indonesia and the smaller developing Asian countries.
Absolutely. Hybrids are great but also generally the reduced emissions, when compared to a small hatchback, only come into their own town driving. The mpg when cruising is about the same too.
Do you think the government will subsidise electric/hybrids? I’ve just googled and seen that you can get a grant of up to £3500 for buying a brand new low-emission vehicle. But clearly this won’t really make a dent, but at least it’s a step in the right direction?
My father has a Golf GTE company car, when he purchased it there was a £5k or so Government Grant and there was also a £1,000 or so grant for installing a wall charger on their house.
It’s slowly getting there, but it seems like there’s quite a way to go. I’m also wary of purchasing electric vehicles outright, purely due to concerns around the degradation of the battery pack and the cost of replacement. Perhaps we’ll see a leasing model become more popular with pure electrics.
I’d hope to live through a revolution in the next 10 years whereby the norm is a self driving electric paradise.
You simply get your phone out, hail a ride, an electric vehicle finds its way to you and gets you to your destination. You then receive a bill on your device, similar to an Uber.
If everything is high efficiency self driving, why would ownership be beneficial?
