What do you think Nick might have for dinner?
(Choose 2 to 3)
Low vs. High Environmental Impact
kg CO2
lbs grain
gallons water
Low Impact
High Impact
Rank these foods in order from which you think has the highest environmental impact to the lowest environmental impact.
- 17.7
- 9.9
- 5.4
- 3.8
- 2.9
- 2.1
- 0.4
- 0.1
- eggs
- pork
- nuts
- cheese
- beef
- beans
- lamb
- poultry
- beef
- lamb
- cheese
- pork
- poultry
- eggs
- beans
- nuts
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
- 7.
- 8.
Nick decided to try to make a low impact meal.
His normal dinner would be a 100g steak and a baked potato.
Environmental Impact: High Impact
Protein: 29g
Iron: 7.7mg
What could he have instead?
Environmental Impact:
Protein:
Iron:
Nick realized a large percentage of his diet comprised of foods considered to have a high impact on the environment.
He wondered how to get the same Nutritional Value from low impact foods.
Protein in:
1 serving beef
=
3/4 serving tempeh
=
1 cup tofu
=
1.5 cup lentils
=
1 cup almonds
Iron in:
1 serving pork
=3 tbsp lentils
=
3 tbsp beans
=
2 tbsp pumpin/flax/sesame/hemp seeds
But he missed the taste of certain foods.
One day, a speaker who grew up on a dairy farm and now works at Impossible Foods came to class and said:
Nick decided to try an Impossible burger.
Finding it immediately at the store, he realized that plant-based meats were more mainstream than he thought. He cooked it into a medium rare burger and sat down to enjoy his meal. He looked down at the burger.
It looked like a burger. It smelled like a burger. He took a bite. It tasted like a burger. It was a burger, but with about 90% less impact on the environment. He says, "I don't think I would have known the difference."
Which would you choose for dinner?
Steak and potatoes
Impact: High
Protein: 29g
Iron: 7.7mg
Beans and lentils
Impact: Low
Protein: 32g
Iron: 5.8mg
Impossible burger and fries
Impact: Low
Protein: 23g
Iron: 3mg