In a world teetering on the precarious cliff of unsustainability, the need for transformative action has never been more urgent. While this may seem like a daunting task for a regular person like you or I, our choices have the potential to divert our future path away from environmental disaster. Our seemingly insignificant kitchen tables can act as powerful agents of change, creating an eco-friendly ripple that will be felt for decades to come. 

Currently, 340 million tons of meat are consumed by humans per year, or roughly 72 billion animals are slaughtered annually to produce that meat (Meat and Dairy Production – Our World in Data). Since the 1960’s, the worldwide consumption of meat has quadrupled, and is expected to increase by as much as 160% by 2050 (World Consumption of Meat) 

Why is this a concern? Simply put, meat production is devastating for our planet. Beef production alone entirely accounts for 41% of global and 80% of Amazon deforestation today.  By destroying natural habitats, deforestation rapidly increases the rate and severity of species extinction. Animal feed production also degrades soil and uses excess water to raise and slaughter animals, which then leads to increases in drought frequency and severity, loss of biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems, and deterioration of safe water security. 

Additionally, amounts of greenhouse gasses are emitted due to raising immense amounts of animals, feed production, transportation of animals and emissions released by the slaughter process. A recent study has shown that 35% of all global greenhouse gas emissions comes from food production, and of that, 57% comes from animal product production.

So, what can be done to get ourselves out of this predicament? Luckily, there are solutions, the first being: reduce the amount of meat you consume. In Brookline alone, all 9 of our public schools observe ‘Meatless Mondays’ and have begun to offer increased access to plant-based food. More schools across Massachusetts and the United States are also starting to adopt the concept. 

Additionally, there are many delicious meat substitutes that taste just as good but are far less damaging, such as soy products (tofu, tempeh, etc), beans, lentils, seitan, and more! Many people raise concerns that plant-based products may not provide the nutritional value that meat does, however, any doubts can easily be assuaged.  Many plant-based products are vitamin fortified, and natural supplements such as zinc and iron can most certainly be found in foods such as lentils and tofu. 

Of course, it’s not easy to change your diet overnight, and that’s okay – making mindful decisions about what you eat, where it’s from and how you can reduce meat in your diet (even just a little bit!) are all meaningful steps in the right direction. 

Maria Udalova is a student at Brookline High School.