Reflecting on the Environmental Impacts of Your Meal

Reflecting on the Environmental Geography of Your Meal

I would say that overall my meal had a positive impact on the environment and is a possible solution that other meals or products could look into. The idea of regenerative agriculture that was used in my meal is one that is helping the environment.

One of the main problems associated with cattle is the production of meat. Producing it requires a great deal of land and water resources. According to the World Resources Institute, “ruminants such as cows and sheep are responsible for half of all greenhouse gas emissions associated with agriculture.” On the other hand, in a grass-fed cattle scenario, cattle spend their entire lives on grass. Their feed is much lower in energy so they are sent to slaughter later. Although these grass-fed cattle gain weight slower than feedlot animals and are slaughtered at a lower weight, they have significant environmental impacts at both the global and local scales.

Regenerative agriculture is defined as farming and grazing practices that, among other benefits, reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity - resulting in both carbon downdraw and improving the water cycle. (https://regenerationinternational.org/) It holds that grazing ruminant populations are key to a healthy ecosystem. According to Cory Carman, an Oregon rancher of a 5,000 acre grass-fed beef cattle operation, “agricultural livestock are this incredible tool in promoting soil health. The longer you can manage cattle on pasture range, the more they can contribute to ecosystem regeneration.” These benefits can be seen on a local scale which in turn leads to positive outcomes on a global scale.

Feedlot cattle is an extractive model that has left the environment in a state of degradation with eroded soil and polluted waters. This can be changed by using natural ecological processes in grass-fed cattle to gather nutrients and rebuild the soil. Returning cattle to the land has several benefits including restoring soil microbial biodiversity, and making the land more resistant to flooding and drought. It can also boost the nutrient content and flavor of livestock and plants. These are benefits that are seen mostly on a local scale. On a global scale, the grass-fed system can help fight climate change because grasses trap atmospheric carbon dioxide. There are positive impacts that these products could have on a micro-scale including health benefits to the consumer. (https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/08/13/746576239/is-grass-fed-beef-really-better-for-the-planet-heres-the-science)

Although this meal is a solution to environmental problems, there are also some possible limitations that need to be considered. Grass-fed cattle require more land to produce the same amount of meat as feedlot cattle. There are also some greenhouse gas emissions that occur with grass-fed cattle. This form of cattle gains weight more slowly, so they produce more methane, mostly in the form of belches, over their longer lifespans. In order for the cattle to be fed, they need to have access to grass. In areas like the corn belt in the United States, long, cold winters occur yearly so there isn’t as much grass for the cattle to graze and feed on. While there are limitations to grass-fed cattle, the benefits outweigh them and it is a method that should be considered in an effort to help make the environment better for us all.

Grass-fed Beef Carbon Footprint

(https://www.fix.com/blog/grass-fed-beef/)