Guess who's back
Can someone have a read of my language analysis piece and possibly provide constructive feedback.
Thanks in advance
P.S good luck fellow year 12s!!
ARTICLE BELOW BC FILE SIZE TOO BIG
In favour of a ‘climatarian’ dietBy now we are all well aware that climate change is one of the greatest threats facing our
planet. We’re also well aware of the importance of ‘going green’: we opt for fuel-efficient
transport options, we try to make our homes as energy efficient as possible and we wouldn’t
think of entering a supermarket without an environmentally friendly tote bag in hand.
Recent research has shown, however, that we may be undermining these efforts with what we
put in those tote bags. A 2016 study by Britain’s Chatham House – a non-profit, nongovernmental
organisation whose mission is to analyse and promote the understanding of
major issues – found that animal agriculture (in particular the production of red meat) is a
major driver of climate change, accounting for 15% of global carbon emissions. This figure is
equivalent to the exhaust emissions from all the vehicles in the world.
These figures should be particularly alarming to us here in Australia. There has, of course,
been some very clever advertising by Meat and Livestock Australia in recent years: who
could forget the lamb ad in which former Australian Rules footballer and media personality
Sam Kekovich warned us against the ‘scourge of un-Australianism’ encapsulated by ‘the
soap-avoiding, pot-smoking, hippie vegetarians’ who would seek to undermine the ‘great
tradition of eating lamb on Australia day’? This and similar ads have helped to cement
Australia’s love affair with red meat. In fact, as it stands, we are currently the biggest
consumers of meat in the world, eating an average of 250 grams per person per day.
Additionally, 50% of our greenhouse gas emissions now come from livestock agriculture.
The Chatham House study suggests that, even if we take significant steps to limit global
warming in other ways, the mean global temperature will still rise to an untenable level if we
fail to curb our meat consumption. A 2015 CSIRO survey found that over 75% of Australians
are concerned about climate change, and this figure jumped to 85% among those aged 18 to
34. It is time that we turn this concern into action – put our money where our mouth is, so to
speak – by adopting what some are calling a ‘climatarian’ diet, which involves making food
choices based on environmentally sustainable principles.
Climatarian challengeThis climatarian challenge calls for us to eat in a carbon-conscious way for 30 days. There
are several steps you can take that will help you along the way, and as each day passes you’ll
know that you are doing your part to save the planet.
Eat less red meatBecoming a climatarian requires a basic knowledge of the carbon footprint emitted by each
type of meat and dairy product. At a minimum, what consumers need to know is that beef and
lamb are the worst offenders and thus, like generations before us and many other cultures
around the world, we should treat them as a delicacy to be saved for special occasions.
Specifically, consumption of red meat should be limited to 65 grams or less per person per
week. According to the Chatham House study, simply limiting your intake of red meat in this
way would have a considerable impact on the health of the planet – even if no other steps
were taken to address climate change. On a practical level, cutting down on red meat could
involve simply incorporating more vegetarian options into your weekly dinner rotation.
Ditch the dairyDairy products (particularly cheese) have a considerable carbon footprint. Thankfully, with
so many alternatives readily available not only in health food stores but also in many local
supermarkets, it’s never been easier to cut back on our consumption of dairy. Try replacing
your regular yoghurt with a coconut-based alternative and, next time you’re in a cafe, try
ordering your latte with soy or almond milk.
Eat localRemember that the more processing, packaging and transport that is involved in the
production of a particular food, the more that product will contribute to greenhouse gas
emissions. Fruits and vegetables that have been grown in a greenhouse and transported across
the world in refrigerated vehicles, for example, could very well have a larger carbon footprint
than a serve of beef or lamb. Climatarianism thus also involves being conscious of food miles
while shopping, and looking for produce that is locally produced and minimally packaged.
The climatarian challenge is one small step in changing the way we think about the food we
eat and the impact we have on the environment. While the scale of the task of reducing global
warming is enormous, adopting an environmentally ethical diet such as climatarianism, with
its emphasis on reducing the consumption of red meat and dairy products and a focus on
locally sourced produce, is a strong step in the right direction
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