Swapping meat lasagna for vegetarian is not easy healthier for you — it’s also healthier for the planet. And a new study shows how much each swap, like replacing beef with chicken in a stew, saves greenhouse gas emissions.
Switching from food and drinks to very similar, but more environmentally friendly alternatives could reduce greenhouse gas emissions from household shopping by almost a quarter, according to a new study from the George Institute for Global Health and Imperial College London.
The research published on Tuesday aims to show that consumers do not need to make drastic changes give up meat – to make smarter, climate-conscious choices that together have an impact on CO2 reduction, lead author Allison Gaines tells CBS News.
“But while consumers are increasingly aware of the environmental impacts of the food system and willing to make more sustainable food choices, they lack reliable information to identify the more environmentally friendly options,” says Gaines, who has a doctorate in public health.
The study recommends that packaged food products be labeled with CO2 emissions climate-conscious consumers can make informed choices. About a third of CO2 emissions are currently attributed to the food and agriculture sector.
Researchers calculated the expected emissions from 7,000 Australian households’ annual groceries using information from FoodSwitch, an app from The George Institute where users can scan a food product’s barcode and see other similar, healthier options.
EcoSwitch is available now, but only in Australia, and aims to add another component for customers to consider: the product’s CO2 emissions. The data collected in the survey is displayed in the app, where customers can scan a product and see similar products with lower carbon emissions.
Gaines said previous studies analyzed dietary patterns, while her research aims to “look at food the way consumers look at it at the grocery store.” The study offered two types of swaps: those found on the same shelf, compared to those found in a different aisle. These similar swaps could lead to a 26% emissions reduction in Australia, equivalent to taking 1.9 million cars off the road, according to the research.
For example, a brioche roll with chocolate chips might have a “very similar switch” to a dinner roll or a “less similar switch” to a sourdough bread.
For drinks, a sugar-free vanilla cola can be substituted for a “very similar” raspberry soda or a “less similar” ginger-lemon kombucha.
The switches that are better for the environment often equate to switches that are better for your health, Gaines said.
The main contributors to carbon emissions from food products were meat and meat productsat 49%, followed by dairy and non-alcoholic drinks.
“The way emissions are trending around the world is looking worse and worse,” Gaines says. “Providing people with that information from the bottom up often also has an impact from the top down.”
