Your diet’s impact on the planet depends on where you live. Look up your city

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Washington Post or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: A landmark study published in Nature Climate Change has quantified the climate impact of meat consumption — dubbed the "carbon hoofprint" — for over 3,000 U.S. towns and cities
• The study reveals significant regional differences in emissions from eating beef, pork, and chicken, driven largely by how and where the animals are raised
• For instance, beef sourced from dairy cows in the Upper Midwest results in fewer emissions than feedlot-raised beef common in the Great Plains and Southwest

🔭 The context: Beef has long been recognized as the most carbon-intensive meat, but this study is the first to map emissions at the city level, incorporating the full supply chain from feed production to animal slaughter
• Developed by researchers from the University of Michigan and University of Minnesota, the model excluded Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico due to data limitations
• The findings aim to shift the climate conversation to include local dietary footprints as a factor in urban sustainability

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Meat production — especially beef — generates substantial greenhouse gas emissions, primarily methane
• Understanding the geography of food-related emissions allows for targeted climate action in both policy and personal choices
• Cities with high "hoofprints" can reduce their environmental toll through changes in sourcing, food waste reduction, and diet shifts
• This localized approach aligns with broader climate goals and offers actionable levers for change across supply chains and consumer behavior

⏭️ What's next: The study provides a roadmap for cities and individuals to reduce their diet-related emissions
• Researchers estimate a potential 51% reduction in individual emissions through measures such as halving beef intake, reducing food waste, and implementing practices like “Meatless Mondays”
• On the supply side, improving cattle feed, grazing methods, and manure management could cut an estimated 78 million metric tons of CO₂-equivalent emissions annually—comparable to removing 18 million cars from the road
• These insights are expected to inform future sustainability policies and food system reforms

💬 One quote: “You don’t have to cut out any single meat to have really significant shifts in your hoofprint,” said Ben Goldstein, co-author and professor of environment and sustainability at the University of Michigan

📈 One stat: Beef accounts for 73% of the average U.S. city’s meat-related emissions, despite being just one part of the meat diet.

See on illuminem's Data Hub™ the sustainability performance food & beverage companies like Tyson Foods, Cargill, and Danone

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