There are plenty of food products out there that claim to be organic, good for the environment, or made with zero waste. But sometimes even the so-called healthiest foods do damage in ways we may be unaware of. It’s difficult to eliminate these from our diets entirely. Here are some foods you should think twice about eating, at least in large quantities.
Adorable? Absolutely. Delicious? Sure, if you can get past the memory of how cute the animal you’re eating once was. Environmentally efficient to consume? Not in the least. One kilogram of lamb produces approximately 39.2 kilograms of greenhouse gases. So maybe leave Mary’s little lamb alone next time.
Beef
With the amount of beef that is consumed worldwide, its almost unbelievable to learn that just one kilogram is responsible for 27 kilograms of carbon dioxide and methane being released into the environment, further contributing to global warming.
Bottled water
Assuming that you have a reliable source of water, don’t be afraid of drinking it. If you’re avoiding the tap in favor of bottled water, you’re actually contributing to a wildly inefficient and wasteful industry. Bottled water production uses the energy equivalent of more than 50-million barrels of oil annually, and more than 75 percent of the empty bottles end up in landfills rather than recycling plants.*
*And yes, I realize bottled water is not a food, but its just too egregious to leave out!
Corn
Corn farmers are growing more corn than the world needs, particularly in countries such as the U.S. In fact, some farmers even receive subsidies to burn some of their stock, despite the fact that people all over the world go hungry each day. Though the production of corn doesn’t result in as much greenhouse gas production as others on this list, its wildly unsustainable production style right now needs immediate reform.
Salmon
Wild salmon used to be a great, healthy option for those looking for fresh seafood, but due to overfishing, it’s now frowned upon – and even illegal – in many places around the world. Many people have turned to farmed salmon to help preserve the wild population, but each kilogram of farmed salmon produces nearly 12 kilograms of carbon emissions.
Sugar
While sugar isn’t responsible for the massive carbon emissions of some of the other offenders on this list, it does contribute in massive ways to loss of biodiversity. As a result of habitat destruction, excessive water use, and pesticides, sugar-cane farming has contributed to the death of many subtropical forests across the globe.
Rice
Rice? Really, rice? Though rice is a staple for a majority of the world’s population, it is also responsible for nearly a third of the annual freshwater use. New methods have been introduced to curb water usage of rice, but it is difficult for many farmers to adapt to the more conservative methods.
Cheese
Oh, cheese. Delicious, delicious cheese. Why must you produce 13.5 kilograms of carbon emissions for every kilogram consumed? Probably because cheese requires milk, which requires cows (unless we’re talking goat or sheep cheese), and we’ve already discussed the environmentally detrimental effects of keeping cows.
Tuna
You may think that you’re being eco-friendly by avoiding canned tuna fish but in fact only a third of canned tuna’s carbon footprint comes from the canning process. The majority of the greenhouse gases emitted come from raising tuna (often done in farm settings), creating 6.1 kilograms emitted for every kilo consumed.
Potatoes
It’s a sad fact that a vegetable can make this list, but potatoes are the most environmentally unfriendly vegetable there is. Each kilogram produces 2.9 kilogram of greenhouse gases, which may not seem like a lot compared to other offenders on this list, but think about it: how many different ways do we eat potatoes every day? Mashed, fried, roasted, baked…the list just goes on and on.