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The BEEF with eating Beef

Let me just start with a disclaimer: beef and cow’s milk are delicious. Whether that be on a BBQ, in lasagne, pasta or in smoothies, beef and milk has been a staple in the diet of western countries. However, much like junk food, the problem is excessive consumption has negative consequences. Eating too much ice-cream has negative repercussions for the waistline, while eating too much beef has detrimental environmental consequences and a number of ethical concerns.

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It is estimated it takes an average of three years to produce around 200kg of beef. During those years, the animal will consume a range of grains such as wheat, oats, barley, hay and grass. The embodied water of these grains totals around 3 million litres. Not to mention the water consumed by the animal. That means for every kilogram of beef we consume; we need 15,400 litres of water[i]. Imagine for a moment a standard 1 litre water bottle. That is an 8 metre by 40m wall of water bottles, just for one kilogram of beef. That’s a very thirsty food choice.


As farmland is typically located outside cities, there is a large disparity between the source of the food and the dinner plate. Exporting and transporting the product internationally adds to the carbon footprint of your standard rib-eye or carton of milk. The refrigeration of meat and milk requires energy to keep the product cold. So, in countries like Australia, with a heavy reliance on fossil fuels, the burning of coal is primarily what keeps the food cool.

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As diets become more westernised, people from China and other emerging countries are starting to incorporate more meat and milk into their diet. Land is being cleared from forested areas to allow for agriculture. For example, in Brazil, large areas of the Amazon rainforest are lost every day, emitting CO2 into the atmosphere and preventing carbon uptake from trees.

The second issue is the unwanted flatulence from cows. Although it appears comical at first glance, the expelling of methane from each end of the cow has significant global implications. The bacteria in the gut of cows and sheep is needed to break down hay, grains and grass. Methane is a by-product of this process and is extremely potent. It is estimated that methane traps 84 times more heat mass than carbon dioxide (CO2). Thereby contributing to global climate change and the warming of our planet.


So, what can we do? How can we live more sustainably? As consumers we can supplement out cow’s milk and beef for other options. Instead of purchasing milk, we can replace them with products such as almond milk, soymilk and coconut milk. By replacing beef with beans, vegie burgers, tofu and fake meat products, we change our consumption patterns for the better. Even replacing beef with chicken, pork or kangaroo meat has substantial environmental benefits.



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