Veganuary: niejedzenie mięsa a ochrona środowiska

Veganuary is a campaign launched in 2014 by a British non-governmental organisation. The main goal of the campaign is to encourage people to switch to a vegan diet. The key motivators for this action are health, humanitarian and also...environmental reasons.

a decorative element: colourful vegetables on a pot

We are talking to Dr Natalia Ratajczyk, lecturer at the Department of Biogeography, Paleoecology and Nature Conservation at the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz.

What does eating meat have to do with protecting the environment?

Every human action has an impact on the environment. This is especially visible in the case of agriculture and food production. Referring to the Veganuary campaign, I would like to focus on animal husbandry. Since the beginning of the development of agriculture, humans have used animals to produce milk, meat, eggs or as draft animals. This allowed the transition from a nomadic to a sedentary lifestyle. This is a great event and revolution in the history of our civilisation.

What is causing concern now is the scale and method of animal farming. Traditional breeding is being replaced by industrial farming, which is very resource-intensive. When analysing the production of meat, milk and eggs, one should look not only at the breeding itself, but more broadly at the entire cycle – from feed production to the disposal of animal excrements

– emphasisez Dr Natalia Ratajczyk.

Animal husbandry affects:

  • Destruction, cutting down, conversion of natural areas into pastures and for the cultivation of fodder. This problem is particularly visible in the Amazon, where since the 1960s we have had a problem with large-scale deforestation.  It is estimated that 80% of all agricultural land in the world is allocated to fodder plantations (including soy) or used as pastures.
  • Greenhouse gas emissions associated with the full animal agriculture supply chain, which account for more than 14% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. The largest share is held by cattle raised for beef and milk, accounting for about two-thirds of this value. The main problem is the emission of methane, produced during the enteric fermentation process.
  • Eutrophication of waters, which is caused by the runoff of nutrients from fields fertilised with animal excrements.
  • Loss of biodiversity as a result of allocating land for plant or animal production. As a result of the monocropping, we are losing not only the species richness of plants, animals and fungi, but entire ecosystems. Additionally, this type of agriculture requires the use of artificial fertilisers and plant protection products on a massive scale, which negatively affect not only living organisms, but also the soil and surface waters.
  • The emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases that have the ability to be transmitted to humans, e.g. swine or bird flu.

How can limiting or giving up eating meat help protect the environment?

Limiting the consumption of meat and animal products will reduce the effects I mentioned and, as a result, improve the state of the environment not only in our country, but also in other regions of the planet. We should pay attention to this web of interconnections between animal husbandry and the quality of the environment, which we may not be aware of when eating Sunday dinner

– says Dr Natalia Ratajczyk.

Limiting your meat intake can also have health benefits, especially if you eat meat every day or several times a day. Studies conducted in Poland show that we eat too much meat, over 120 g per day, while the recommended norm is about 70 g. On the other hand, I don't think we should all suddenly give up our meat diet. In my opinion, taking small steps is more effective than an immediate revolution.

Interestingly, there is a noticeable tendency that the more developed and wealthier a country becomes, the more meat consumption increases. It is therefore assumed that as the world's population grows, urbanisation intensifies and countries develop, the demand for meat will increase. That is why the European Union is taking action to change eating habits, reduce meat consumption or find substitutes in the form of protein from insects.

Poland is a relatively rich country and we have the opportunity to choose our preferred diet. Plant-based products and meat substitutes are constantly available, and their offer in stores is becoming richer every year. However, there are areas of the world, such as the mountainous and foothill regions of western China, where the indigenous population relies on cattle breeding and would not be able to survive without it. Domesticated yaks have adapted perfectly to the difficult mountain conditions. They provide residents with basic products such as milk, meat and wool, serve as pack and draft animals. They also play an important role in everyday life, religion and culture.

As more and more is said about the impact of the livestock sector on the environment, do you see any positive changes in this area?

The first signal that can be noticed is the fact that the problem of the impact of animal farming on the environment has become a common topic, permanently present in the public awareness, and more and more organisations, media and groups are paying attention to it. This is also evidenced by campaigns promoting a change of diet to vegan and actions such as Veganuary.

Growers are also looking at how to reduce the sector's impact on the environment and climate change. Actions are being taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by improving the production process, i.e. using better feed, adding appropriate supplements to it, and better management of animal excrements. What is worrying is that there is little talk about limiting factory farming and the number of farm animals.

In the European Union we also have the option of obtaining meat and animal products from organic farming. These are products subject to certification and marked with a green leaf on their packaging. In organic farming, no artificial fertilisers or GMOs are used and animal welfare is taken care of.

Moving on to the individual level, we can notice good trends in our country. There is a visible increase in the number of people who are on a meatless diet. Currently, approximately 8% of the Polish population declares themselves to be vegans or vegetarians. These are mainly young people, representatives of Generation Z.

What actions can each of us take to help protect the environment?

The most important thing anyone on a meat-eating diet could do is to correct their eating habits. However, it is quite difficult. If someone really wants to give up eating meat, I think they should prepare for it appropriately. Changing a habit is a very difficult process, so we should plan meals, shopping appropriately, and find people who will be supportive. In the case of spontaneous action, it is more difficult to persevere, because at a certain point a crisis comes, a longing for the taste of meat appears and the plan falls apart like a house of cards. Therefore, any change in diet must be carefully considered and planned

– advises Dr Natalia Ratajczyk.

In the 90's In the 1980s, the flexitarian movement emerged, bringing together people who eat plant-based meals but do not completely give up meat. With this attitude you can start changing your habits. You can also try giving up animal products on one day of the week, see how you feel about it, and develop the habit of changing your diet.

I think that conscious shopping is also important, i.e. knowing where the products we use come from and what their real impact on the environment is. The recommendations here are quite simple and include buying locally, from trusted suppliers and eating seasonal produce. By following a vegan diet based on strawberries from China, avocados from Mexico or grapes from Chile, we also contribute to the degradation of the environment and climate.

Additionally, if we want to reduce the impact of animal farming on the environment, we should reduce food waste. It is estimated that 30 to 40% of the world's food is wasted. I think that just taking action in this area will have a positive impact on the environment.

January is coming to an end, but that doesn't mean we can't join the Veganuary campaign and learn about the proposals and possibilities of switching to a vegan diet.

Dr Natalia Ratajczyk is a senior lecturer at the Department of Biogeography, Paleoecology and Nature Conservation at the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Dean's Representative for Sustainable Development and Dean's Representative for the following study programmes: Environmental Protection, EcoCity, Biomonitoring and Ecological Biotechnologies. She teaches Environmental Protection and EcoCity, during which she tries to make students aware of aspects related to excessive consumption, resource conservation and shaping ecological awareness. She carries out activities related to raising awareness of sustainable development and is the co-author of the BiOŚfera project.

Source: Dr Natalia Ratajczyk, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz
Edit: Kamila Knol-Michałowska, Promotion Centre, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz
Photo: Pixabay.com