Our food system constitutes one of humanity’s greatest impacts on the earth. Consider a simple tomato: greenhouses, irrigation, pesticides, fertilizers, pickers, processors, storers, shippers, merchandisers, stockers, and finally cookers. Revel in the effort it takes so you can make a mediocre spaghetti sauce.

Kitchen animosity aside, we observe that since animals spend so much energy unrelated to final human consumption, plant foods on average boast multiple times more energy-efficient production than animal meats.¹ Ignoring the energy initially created by photosynthesis in plants, overwhelmingly the energy spent in our food system comes from fossil fuels. We could, all else held equal, significantly reduce our carbon dioxide emissions by consuming more plant foods instead of meat.

However, we don’t live all else held equal. In impoverished societies, meat provides a critical opportunity to improve people’s nutrition. In areas lacking human-edible plants, meat provides a critical means to produce food locally, instead of importing it.

Neither of these hold true for many affluent societies though. And yet, generally knowing meat’s outsized impact on the environment, many people in these societies eat meat in tremendous excess relative to an environmentally friendly (and healthy) amount.

Of course, this stems from multiple causes. I’d like to start with focusing on the elevated importance of meat in most cultures (Indian cultures a notable exception). Consider sushi, the quintessential Japanese food, or this quote from Wei Zhu, chef/owner of Chengdu Gourmet in Pittsburgh:

What are you favorite ingredients to work with?

Pork, chicken, fish and beef. More than that, though, it depends on the customers. I want to cook what makes them happy. That’s the most important thing to me. Everyone should leave here satisfied.

The chef just basically listed all major meats!

Meat doesn’t just hit our stomachs and appetites. It also hits those emotional, social parts of the mind in how we define ourselves and relate to others through culture. For many people, eschewing animal meat seems practically impossible, or perhaps practically Impossible. I, and many food advocates, scientists, and investors, have hope for plant-based meat.