EARTH DAY - Invest In Our Planet

EARTH DAY - Invest In Our Planet

Planet Bake wasn’t founded with the sole purpose of making desserts far more healthier for human consumption but also to support the environment and provide an animal free product that is all natural. But why does that matter? 

Earth Day is the perfect time to get into it and to shine light on the world's environmental issues and why veganism is so important to the brand.

Planet Bake is promoting vegan eating in order to save the planet with a vegan beginner series that is free for everyone to subscribe to.

Here are some indicators that need to change in order to INVEST and SAVE the earth - and they all lead back to eating plant-based.

  • Animal food consumptions

  • Methane emissions

  • Greenhouse gas emissions

  • Ocean acidification

  • Preventing species extinction

 

From a report “The Humane League”, a study from Oxford University identified going vegan as the “single biggest way” we can reduce our carbon footprint, shrinking it up to 73%. 

carbon footprint

For clarity: This drastic reduction is due to the fact that every step of the production process for animal products like beef and dairy generates greenhouse gasses: from the clearing of forests to make way for animal pasture, to the production of millions of tons of animal feed, to the immense waste generated by cows, pigs, chickens, and other farm animals. Overall, the process of raising and killing animals for meat is much more carbon-intensive than just growing and harvesting plants for food. Joseph Poore, the Oxford study’s lead author, explains: “Converting grass into (meat) is like converting coal to energy. It comes with an immense cost in emissions.” 

greenhouse gasses

In fact, producing plant-based meat emits up to 90% fewer greenhouse gasses than producing conventional meat. Just one plant-based meal can save the same amount of carbon emissions it takes to drive a car across the country. If that’s the impact one meal can make, it’s no surprise that following a plant-based diet full-time can result in a much smaller carbon footprint. And, if more and more individuals adopt a plant-based diet, this impact will create a huge shift in our food system, reducing our whole species’ greenhouse gas emissions and helping slow climate change.

Cows produce methane emissions, which accelerate climate change. A single cow belches 220 pounds of methane.

Methane is 80 times more potent at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, and it accounts for up to 30% of global warming since pre-industrial times.

In order to stop methane emissions, the UN recommends “shifting toward plant-based diets and embracing alternative sources of protein.” They estimate that humans could cut methane emissions by 45%, which would be critical to slowing global warming. 

More resources on where plant-based protein comes from and what to eat HERE.

 

Burning fossil fuels for energy produces greenhouse gas emissions.

By eliminating your meat consumption, you can stop the ongoing spread of pollution from factory farms. 

energy consumption and fossil fuel

Leading back to consumption of animals - It takes about 31.5 kilowatt-hours of energy to produce one pound of beef. In comparison —a little under the amount of energy your fridge uses to run for a whole month. like beans and nuts, require much less processing and are therefore much more energy-efficient than meat. Making the switch to plant-based saves energy consumption and reduces fossil fuel emissions.

water usage in meat production

Research estimates that 41% of the water used for agriculture goes toward growing livestock feed for the meat industry. It takes about 460 gallons of water to make one quarter-pound beef patty—that’s the equivalent of taking 23 showers.

 

Ocean acidification

Dead zones in the ocean are accounted for by farming and fishing, a great demonstration on how this is done can be watched on Netflix show Seaspiracy.

The greenhouse gas emissions that warm the atmosphere also raise ocean temperatures.The global meat industry—including the multi-billion dollar fishing industry—pollutes and destabilizes our oceans. 

The meat industry clears millions of acres of forested land to make room to graze cattle and grow crops for animal feed. This process, known as deforestation,

plant-based meat uses up to 99% less land than conventional meat. The world going vegan means deforestation could decline 94%.

This can also preserve habitats and prevent species extinction.

Our Sources: https://thehumaneleague.org/article/environmental-benefits-of-veganism