Food and Farming
The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024
In the first `100 days of 2024 we will explore 100 climate solutions that may “empower you to evaluate, engage, and act” to address on-going climate change as an individual on your terms.
If you ever are concerned about “milk” semantics, use the chemist’s definition: an emulsion of fat globules in an aqueous media (as opposed to the FDA’s: “Milk is the lacteal secretion, practically free from colostrum, obtained by the complete milking of one or more healthy cow”).
At any rate, if you like aqueous fat emulsions to drink or make your coffee lighter, and are concerned about the environment, you have a number of nondairy alternatives to sort through. Cow’s milk is higher in protein than plant derived milks and naturally contains calcium and iodine (which may or may not be added to the alternatives). It pays to read the label if you require these supplements.
Given the environmental and climate toll of dairy, making a switch to any of the alternatives is an important action. Comparing across the plant-based alternatives, with all things being equal, oat milk likely has the lowest environment impact. Oat crops requires less water and fertilizer than almonds and in some countries soy production is preceded by devastating deforestation. It is often listed as the preferred alternative.
The them of these actions is that our food choices can have a big impact on mitigating climate change, as “globally, our food supply chain accounts for 26 percent of human-cause greenhouse gas emissions”.
Most importantly, that data clearly shows that our cherished, long-established industries, like beef and dairy, will have to be drastically curtailed to meet even the most hopeful goals for addressing climate change. You can move that process along through the actions you take at the grocery store, where you deliberately choose producers and brands that align with your values, minimize packaging, and build a lifestyle that minimizes food waste. And as always, research to become knowledgeable, become comfortable in your messaging, help educate your legislators, and make your voice heard in your community and online.
And learn to drink your coffee black, (as Denis Leary called it “coffee flavored coffee“) or, if you have to add what I refer to as “heinous creamer”, reach for the oat milk.
Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 35: Look Into Eating Locally
Howard Creel
#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com
One response to “Climate Action Day 34 – Switch to Nondairy Alternatives”
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LOVE THIS, Howard,
thank you, and….
Brown University Professor Elizabeth Rush (her books explore how humans adapt to changes enacted upon them by forces seemingly beyond our control), author most recently of “The Quickening” about her study of the Thwaites Doomsday Glacier — posits that America’s propensity to value individual effort over collective is once again leading us astray. We need to be encouraged to join and/or create groups.
LOVE THIS, Howard,
thank you, and….
Brown University Professor Elizabeth Rush (her books explore how humans adapt to changes enacted upon them by forces seemingly beyond our control), author most recently of “The Quickening” about her study of the Thwaites Doomsday Glacier — posits that America’s propensity to value individual effort over collective is once again leading us astray. We need to be encouraged to join and/or create groups.