Feds Urge Eating Less Meat … to Fight Climate Change

The government’s effort to combat climate change is moving toward Americans’ dinner table.

A federal advisory committee this week urged that the government’s next generation of dietary guidelines for the first time take into account environmental factors, specifically recommending more fruits and vegetables and less meats.

“Consistent evidence indicates that, in general, a dietary pattern that is higher in plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, and lower in animal-based foods is more health promoting and is associated with lesser environmental impact (GHG emissions and energy, land, and water use) than is the current average U.S. diet,” the U.S. 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee recommended in a wide-ranging report.

GHG standards for greenhouse gas emissions, which climate scientists blame for global warming.