Low carbon food refers to products produced, processed, and distributed to minimize greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A “carbon footprint” measures these total emissions, typically in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e), across a product’s lifecycle. Choosing low carbon food directly supports environmental sustainability by reducing the impact of dietary choices on climate change.
Understanding Food’s Carbon Footprint
Food’s journey from farm to fork involves stages that contribute to its carbon footprint. Agricultural practices are significant contributors, with livestock farming releasing methane and fertilized soils emitting nitrous oxide. Land use changes, like deforestation for agricultural expansion, also play a substantial role, accounting for approximately 17% of global GHG emissions.
Beyond the farm, food processing and packaging require energy, adding to emissions. For instance, industrial food processing, packaging, and refrigeration contributed about 4.3 billion metric tons of CO2e per year in 2018. Packaging materials like plastics, glass, and metal also have carbon footprints due to manufacturing processes that consume resources.
Transportation, often called “food miles,” increases a food item’s carbon footprint, though it accounts for a smaller percentage of total food emissions compared to production. While international food transport relies on more efficient shipping, domestic transport often uses more polluting road vehicles. Finally, food waste is a major contributor, as discarded food generates methane—a potent greenhouse gas—when it decomposes in landfills. In the U.S. alone, food loss and waste embody 170 million metric tons of CO2e annually, excluding landfill emissions.
Making Low Carbon Food Choices
Plant-based diets effectively reduce one’s carbon footprint. Animal-based foods, especially red meat from ruminants like cows and sheep, have significantly higher emissions due to methane production and the inefficient conversion of plant to animal energy. For example, producing 100 grams of protein from beef can result in nearly 90 times more CO2e emissions compared to peas.
Choosing local and seasonal produce can lower transportation emissions, though the impact of “food miles” is often less significant than production emissions. Buying locally can also support regional economies and potentially reduce packaging. Minimally processed foods require less energy for manufacturing and packaging, reducing their carbon footprint compared to highly processed alternatives that often involve multiple layers of packaging.
Reducing food waste is an important action, as approximately one-third of all food produced globally is lost or wasted each year. This waste accounts for about 6% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Strategies like meal planning, proper food storage, and composting inedible scraps can mitigate these emissions. For seafood, sustainable choices are important; while seafood generally has a lower carbon footprint than other animal proteins, the method of capture or farming matters. Wild-caught fish often have lower emissions, and farmed bivalves like oysters and mussels have small carbon footprints as they do not require feed.
Benefits of a Low Carbon Diet
A low carbon diet offers positive impacts beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These dietary shifts can reduce water usage, as plant-based foods generally require less water than animal products. For instance, plant-based diets can generate 75% less water pollution and use 75% less land than diets rich in meat.
Decreased demand for land-intensive agriculture, particularly livestock farming, can combat deforestation and land degradation, promoting healthier ecosystems. This shift can foster improved biodiversity by reducing habitat destruction linked to agricultural expansion. Plant-rich diets are associated with health benefits, including lower risks of certain chronic diseases, complementing environmental advantages.