The Meat Question

Not all animal products are equal. Beef and lamb have dramatically higher environmental footprints than poultry, pork, or dairy. The difference is biological: ruminant animals (cattle, sheep, goats) produce methane through digestion, require vast grazing land, and convert plant feed to meat calories at the worst ratio of any livestock.

The picture has nuance, however. Grass-fed cattle on land unsuitable for crops can be part of sustainable food systems. Rotational grazing improves soil health and sequesters carbon. The key distinction is between industrial feedlot operations and integrated grazing that works with the land.