How Eating Less Meat Will Extend Your Life – and Help the Earth

It seems like every time we turn around, there's a new diet fad. Atkins wants you to cut all carbs, "clean eating" wants you to villainize sugar, and Paleo wants you to eat like a caveman. If you're looking to hop on a fad diet train to quickly drop those pesky pounds… stop reading.

This isn't an article about diets. It's an article about lifestyle. There's nothing compelling about dramatically restricting your calories or the kinds of food you can eat. We're interested in moderation, healthy eating and a healthy mindset: eating things that are good for your body without sacrificing taste. But we're also interested in keeping our planet healthy and thriving. After all, it's the only home we've got.

How does my lunch order affect the world?

It doesn't. Not today's lunch order, or the pepperoni on your Friday night pizza. There will be no apocalyptic ramifications for your well-deserved indulgences or red meat cravings. But there are big ramifications if billions of us choose a meat-heavy diet every day, for every meal. Why?

Simple math. Livestock uses about 83% of the world's farmland, yet it provides only about 18% of the calories we eat.¹ Animals are bigger, with bigger appetites, so feeding them takes far more land than feeding people directly. And we're eating more meat than ever, with billions more people than in the days of hunting and gathering. We're far past living off the land. We've commercialized it.

So where does that leave us? Livestock is responsible for about 14.5% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions worldwide,² and clearing land for grazing and feed crops is a major driver of deforestation in places like the Amazon. That matters, because we need forests, not just as a home for our woodland friends, but to help keep our climate in check.

No guilt trips here

If you're looking at your reflection in utter disgust, thinking about the Italian sub you had for lunch, stop. This article is about the long-term health of our planet, not about guilt-tripping anyone who orders bacon on their burger. This information shouldn't depress you. It should inspire you.

You are capable of making small changes in your daily life that change the future of our planet. You, yes you, reading this right now, slightly shaking your head and thinking "I can't make a difference alone." Wrong.

As the Dalai Lama put it: "If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito."

Small changes, big impact

We're all powerful enough to create change. By making more mindful choices, we can improve the health of our planet. Feel like grilling a pork chop? Awesome. Look for something local and responsibly raised, and don't forget to pair it with an earthy Pinot Noir. If we lower demand, even a little, it adds up across billions of meals.

Your choices can also support the humane treatment of farmworkers and animals.

Your body will thank you, too

The earth won't be the only one thanking you. In two large US studies, people who increased the amount of red meat they ate, especially processed meat, had higher death rates over time.³ The World Health Organization's cancer agency classifies processed meat as a cause of colorectal cancer.⁴ And getting more of your protein from plants is linked with a lower risk of early death.⁵

More fresh, whole plant foods means more fiber, more nutrients, and a better feeling of overall health.

Start simple: Meatless Monday

Join the Meatless Monday movement. Vow to spend one day a week (or more, if you choose) eating plant-based foods. Eggplant parmigiana? Chickpea curry? Explore new recipes, and if you share your delicious meal on social media, use the hashtag #MeatlessMonday to encourage others to do the same.

Need a protein boost on your plant-based days? Here's how to choose a protein powder when you're cutting down on meat.