More Aussies avo-go at a plant-based diet

Clean and green 'plant-based' diets are growing in popularity. Dr Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick explains how changing our diet can benefit our bodies and our planet.

Experts observe that Australia's climate is warming.

Almost all of Australia's famous meals contain meat or dairy – a cheesy parma, juicy meat pie, snag on the barbie, or a burger with 'the lot'.

However, the traditional Aussie diet is starting to shift gear.

Every plate creates a footprint on our health and the environment.

Getting food from farm to table requires growing and processing, transport, distribution, consumption, and when it fails to reach our bellies, disposal.

Each of these steps uses energy and releases harmful greenhouse gases that trap heat in our atmosphere and contribute to our changing climate.

Growing food is the biggest piece of the pie.

Farming requires land, which often means chopping down our tall, leafy giants to make room.

This removes valuable carbon sinks which help limit the impacts of climate change by taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

Food production also relies heavily on fertilisers, many of which are fossil fuel intensive to create.

These fertilisers can emit greenhouse gases when applied to soil, and pollute local waterways.

And, when we look at the creatures that inhabit many of our lush paddocks – for example cows – even more emissions are produced as they burp and fart.

All this is before our food has even left the field.

In total, the food industry contributes around a third of all human-driven emissions, which includes farming to transportation all the way to cooking and disposal.

This is leading to warming across many parts of Australia.

We're seeing evidence of this in Coffs Harbour, with NSW now experiencing around two more unusually warm September nights than it did in the 1970s.

Shifting plates to a more plant-based diet

The good news is, slightly adjusting what we serve on our plates can help our planet and bodies thrive.

In general, the environmental impact of meat and dairy is more significant than it is for their leafy counterparts.

In fact, people following what's known as a 'plant-based diet' account for around 75 per cent less emissions than those who eat more than 100g of meat a day.

Being 'plant-based' simply refers to a diet consisting mostly of fruit, veggies, legumes, beans, grains and nuts, with little or no meat, dairy, or fish.

Based on global data, some of our most common plant-based protein sources such as chickpeas chickpeas produce 98 per cent less carbon emissions and use 95 per cent less land when compared to beef.

However, while switching to a fully plant-based diet may not be feasible for everyone, even deciding to eat fewer meals with meat or dairy each week can have profound impacts.

A plant-based diet that has more plant-based foods has also been shown to benefit our health.

Colourful fruit and veggies are packed full of nutrients, fibre, healthy fats and vitamins, and help ensure the important bacteria in our gut stay happy.

Additionally, plant-based eating has been associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers.

Aussie diets are already changing

A trend towards reduced meat consumption has already begun.

In fact, findings released this year show up to 32 per cent of Aussies reduced their meat consumption over the past year, while only three per cent increased it.

So, why the shift?

While the environmental benefits are an important consideration, there are many reasons behind this trend.

Changing attitudes towards animal welfare often also play a part.

This trend shows no sign of slowing down, with 2021 research showing many Aussies aspire to reduce their meat intake going forward.

But research also shows that some Aussies struggle to keep to plant-based diets when away from home.

Especially when eating out, some people feel limited availability and variety also dampens their plant-based ambitions – nothing worse than a soggy salad as your only option!

Greening up your kitchen

Moving towards a more plant-based diet doesn't have to be daunting.

In fact, there are a bounty of tasty options you can try at home in the kitchen.

A great way to find inspiration is by exploring these recipes by world leading chefs.

Or you can simply up your fruit and veggie intake and have a meat-free meal each week.

Finally, get creative and limit food waste – throwing away that old bag of carrots is also throwing away the energy, land, water and fertiliser used to grow them.

Instead, set up a composting system in your backyard or local community garden, or simply throw them in a pot for some homemade stock.

Ultimately, shifting plantwards provides a great opportunity to look after our bodies and tackle climate change.

If you're interested in getting started, check out the United Nations' AWORLD IN SUPPORT OF ACT NOW app where you can understand the impact of the food you eat.

Want more information on how your climate is changing? Check out the last article in this series.

Associate Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick is a climate scientist at the University of New South Wales.

This column is part of a collaboration between Monash University and News Corp to deliver hyperlocal weather and climate information.