Residents of the United States began to massively abandon beef because of fears of harming the climate. The consequences of the “war” of the population with meat have already been felt by producers and public catering, Bloomberg reports.
The trend of abandoning beef in the diet is becoming large-scale, as Americans compare the environmental damage from its consumption with the harm from the use of coal. According to environmentalists, it is the breeding of cows that has a devastating effect on the climate. Cattle emit a huge amount of greenhouse gas during their lifetime due to the peculiarities of the digestive system. According to the United Nations (UN), 14.5 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are accounted for by livestock, and two—thirds of this amount is accounted for by cattle.
According to a 2020 survey by the research company Datassentia, 70 percent of the US population believes that it is time to reduce meat consumption, 58 percent already prefer fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. US colleges are also refusing beef dishes. Harvard, Stanford, and the University of Kansas have joined a special program to transition to healthy and eco-friendly food.
American farmers were the first to feel the impact of the “protein war”. Investors began to invest more in startups for growing artificial meat. Because of this, meat restaurants have to either wind down the business or completely change the menu.
According to the Kearney study, by 2025, global sales of meat will also begin to fall significantly, and by 2040, beef substitutes will take 33 percent of the entire product market. Experts also recorded the refusal of millions of people from beef in all countries. Its share of total production decreased by 19 percent from 1961 to 2018.
I already cut down my beef consumption by at least 90% mainly due to its very high cost.