Earth Day: making the biggest difference on the plate

22 April is Earth Day, and to mark the occasion it is important to raise awareness of the environmental benefits of a plant-based diet. Numerous studies and scientific statements in recent years have confirmed that the choice of a plant-based diet is not only a matter of individual preference, but also of:

• good for animals
• good for humans (for health and conscience reasons)
• good for the planet

Overall, a plant-based diet is considered a more sustainable and environmentally friendly option for the planet than a mixed diet. Why?

The environmental benefits of a plant-based diet

• Smaller ecological footprint: growing crops and producing plant-based food requires fewer resources than animal production. Animal production leaves a much larger ecological footprint than plant-based diets due to the large amounts of water, food (feed) and energy used.
  
  

• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
  
  
  
• Reduction of deforestation. If everyone ate a plant-based diet, land use would be cut by a quarter and there would be no need to clear more and more forests. The production of animal products requires large amounts of land and resources, which often results in the clearing of rainforests.
  
  Furthermore, deforestation is causing a growing problem of loss of animal habitat. Animal species are becoming extinct or on the brink of extinction, and the remaining species are losing their habitat. This can lead to confrontation between animals and humans, as animals enter cities for food or pose a ‘threat’ to agricultural crops.
  
  
• Water and energy efficiency.

So one of the most important steps we can take individually and collectively to protect nature and the climate is to switch to a plant-based diet.