Choose more plant-based food for eco-eating
Researchers at RMIT have compiled the first comprehensive carbon footprint league table for fresh food. Grains such as oats, fruit and vegetables were found to have the lowest impact, followed by nuts and pulses, e.g. chickpeas, blackbeans and lentils. Chicken and pork had a medium impact. Fish also had a medium impact on average, however results between species varied significantly. Red meat such as beef and lamb had the highest impact. See this chart below.
It is quite plain to see from this kind of data, that replacing part or all the meat ingredients in a recipe with plant-based protein food such as black beans have a huge advantage both from health and environment. There are plenty of recipes on the internet to try some lentils in the new year.