LettersHow to save the planet while eating meat – consume less of it

Still, vegetarianism and veganism are now becoming more popular. There are more speciality restaurants and restaurants offering meat-free options to cater to the growing trend. Aside from reasons such as personal health or avoiding animal cruelty, eating less meat also helps the environment. The livestock sector represents 14.5 per cent of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. Adopting a plant-rich diet is considered one of the most effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint.

That being said, not all people can so readily give up eating meat. After all, Hong Kong has the highest per capita meat consumption in the world at 664 grams per day. Meat substitutes have not completely replicated the texture of meat either.

Meat lovers can still help save the world by eschewing some animals. Cows and sheep have high carbon footprints, owing to their methane production as ruminants, slower reproductive cycle and low feed conversion. Beef production alone accounts for 41 per cent of the livestock sector’s emission. Certain seafood is a no-go as well, depending on the fishing methods used. For example, trawled lobsters and prawns have comparable emission to ruminants.