Scientists warn of insect apocalypse, why? 0:31 (CNN Spanish) — Yes, you are aware that beef is the most harmful food for the climate. But no, it is not in your plans to abandon roasts or barbecues with family and friends. That doesn’t mean you’re not willing to take other steps to reduce the carbon footprint of your diet. But wich ones? We give you 5 tips. First, some data: 26% of greenhouse gas emissions come from food, according to the FAO, among other organizations. And only livestock is responsible for 14.5% of emissions. Beef is the food that produces the most gases of this type, according to a report by the Natural Resources Defense Council. Secondly, and if we take into account the CO2 emitted per kg. consumed, another ruminant follows: the lamb. In general terms, animal products are more polluting than vegetables. For this reason, calls are multiplying to adopt vegetarian or vegan diets as more climate-friendly options. But if you prefer to continue enjoying a hamburger from time to time, here are some measures that can help: Choose other types of meat (or reduce portions) If you do not want to completely abandon meat, experts propose an alternative diet: the flexitarian . Implying? Keep small amounts of red meat and poultry, fish, milk and eggs, also betting on eating plenty of fruits, vegetables and plant-based proteins. Such a diet could save the planet the equivalent of 5.13 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide per year, according to a Carbon Brief analysis of data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). And here is a detail that is important: not all meats generate the same carbon footprint. Chicken and turkey, for example, are also in the ranking of the 10 most harmful foods for the climate, but with a significantly lower impact than beef and lamb. In fact, according to the University of Michigan, greenhouse gas emissions from beef are 7.2 times higher per kilogram than from chicken, for example. Eat less dairy It’s not just meat: dairy products like butter and cheese are also among the most damaging because of the amount of greenhouse gases emitted from their production. Therefore, reducing your consumption can have a positive impact on your carbon footprint. What about the milk? Emissions from milk of animal origin are more than double those of alternatives of plant origin such as rice, soy, oat or almond milk, according to the specialized site Carbon Brief. Of all these alternatives, almonds is the one that emits the least gases. Dairy substitute products are growing in popularity, although they remain dwarfed by those from animal sources. According to market research firm Euromonitor, plant-based dairy industry retail sales were estimated at $18 billion in 2020, roughly 3% of the global dairy industry. And even giants in the food world like Nestlé are now betting on these alternatives. Keeping nothing in the bin: avoiding waste Food loss and waste are responsible for 8% of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the FAO. Of course this happens at different points in the chain, from when the food is produced until it is cooked on the table. However, there are steps we can take to reduce the waste for which we are directly responsible. 17% of all food in the world is wasted 0:56 The first one is to plan meals to buy only what we need (by the way, this is also good for the pocket). Properly storing food and using leftovers also helps ensure that nothing ends up in the trash unnecessarily. And another tip from the FAO: choose “ugly fruits and vegetables”. “Don’t judge food by its appearance. Bruised or oddly shaped fruit and vegetables are often thrown away because they fail to meet arbitrary cosmetic standards. Don’t worry… the taste is the same. Use the ripe fruit to prepare smoothies, juices and desserts, “explains the organization. Do not choose food that travels by plane One of the tips that you have probably heard is to choose local products, since in this way the emissions derived from the transport of food are avoided. To what extent are these emissions significant? According to Our World in Data, not as much as we might imagine. On average, transport emissions only account for 6% of the carbon footprint of food. “In most food products, it represents less than 10%, and it is much less in the case of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases. In the case of beef, it is 0.5%,” says the organization. And that is why he insists that it is better to focus on what is eaten and not so much on where it comes from. However, there is one exception: food that travels by plane. Air transport emits 50 times more greenhouse gases than water transport, according to Our World in Data, and for this reason it does advise that you avoid them as much as possible. It is difficult to identify them, because many times it is not indicated on the labels how they were transported. In general, they are foods that come from far away and last very little, because otherwise they would be transported by sea. According to the portal, asparagus (which, in fact, is classified as one of the most harmful foods for the climate in the United States), green beans and berries usually fall into the category. Good news: avocados are not in that category! The 5 reasons why you should consume avocado 0:51 Take care of what you do before and after eating How many single-use plastics do you use (excuse the redundancy) and discard on a daily basis when buying and transporting food? In general, we associate the environmental impact of plastic with the waste that ends up at the bottom of the oceans. However, single-use plastic also has a carbon footprint: according to estimates, the entire life cycle of these materials represented about 1.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2019. And, if the production continues to grow like this, they could be responsible for between 5% and 10% of annual emissions of these gases by 2050. That is why taking care of the single-use plastic that we use is also important. Look at the terrible pollution of this lake in Bolivia 3:50 And what happens after eating? The decomposition of organic waste in landfills or landfills emits greenhouse gases. To have a reference: according to information from the WHO, for example, the methane released by this decomposition represents about 3% of emissions in the European Union. Therefore, recycling the organic waste that you dispose of through composting reduces the carbon footprint of food. This practice that you can carry out at home also has other benefits: it allows you to obtain quality natural fertilizer for your plants and returns nutrients to the soil. Brands label products showing climate impact 0:53 And finally: how to calculate your carbon footprint Food represents between 10 and 30% of the carbon footprint of a home, reports the University of Michigan. There are tools that allow you to calculate the impact of your diet based on what foods you eat and how much of each on average. Here, for example, you can check the calculator made available by The Nature Conservancy. In addition to the carbon footprint of meals, you can also calculate the impact of your trips and purchases, among others. Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2021.