A comparison of the carbon footprint of coffee types and use of oat milk instead of dairy milk. United States Department of Agriculture. In the U.S., pesticides affect more than 96% of all fish and 600 million birds. However, it should be noted that post-production emissionsfrom transporting almonds between California and everywhere else in the worldcan't be measured and are not included in the figure widely accepted as almonds' carbon footprint. Scientific Reports, vol. Here's a breakdown of dairy milk's environmental impact. For the outdoor farms (n=2), the average was 5.38 t of CO2e/ha and 1.03kg of CO2e/kg of FPCM. Buy on Amazon. It certainly is still the leading milk type, and perhaps also the most criticized. "Life Cyclebased Assessment of Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Almond Production, Part II: Uncertainty Analysis through Sensitivity Analysis and Scenario Testing." So what makes Glebe Farm's PureOaty the UK's 'glass-leader' in this context? "Table 23." Though the U.S. still sources some of its oats from Asia, South America, and Europe, more than half the oats Americans consume every year are grown onNorth American soil. The annual amount of water used is compared with a shower, based on figures suggesting the average shower lasts eight minutes and uses up 65 litres. British dairy herds largely. "Oat Milk Edges Past Soymilk for #2 Slot in U.S. Plant-Based Milk Retail Market." The price point is $4 per half gallon, and its readily available at coffee shops or grocery chains. The Answer Might Surprise You. Plant-based milk is a booming market, representing15% of the entire milk category. "Here in the U.S., your daily glass of milk accounts for 2 percent of our countrywide [greenhouse gas] emissions," Grist reported. To be clear, the global oat trade is still thriving, but it hardly compares to that of soy (primarily grown in South America) and almonds (almost entirely hailing from California), which are its two plant-based milk competitors. "Global Methane Assessment: Benefits and Costs of Mitigating Methane Emissions." "Among the most prominent pollutants that have rendered aquatic resources polluted and caused huge damage to aquatic organisms are pesticides.". You'll often see oats growing on long, leafy stemsakin to wheaton the side of the road in the American Midwest. Red meat from livestock raised on grass was different from intensive animal farming, said chief executive Phil Stocker. "California Almond Industry Facts." The deciduous almond tree needs constant replenishment of nitrogen to thrive, and it receives it through fertilizers that leach into soil and pollute groundwater. ", Oatly, though, was founded "to provide a more sustainable option that's gentler on the planet compared to traditional dairy milk." "2015 Agricultural Chemical Use Survey: Oats." How Oat Milk Can Help Save the Environment, Columbia University in the City of New York, These Zines are Helping us Imagine a Better Future for Climate and Society, Capitalisms Last Dance: Bridging the Gap to the Green New Deal, Climate Change Solutions: An Opportunity to Subvert Capitalism, Reviving Traditional Agricultural Practices is the New Farming Revolution We Need, Jesus and the State of Alaska Agree: Oil Companies Owe You Money. 1 Growing awareness of this means many are looking to plant-based alternatives. Thomas, Craig. Firstly, I am very lactose intolerant and real milk can do some serious damage. Plus, almond treestemporarily store carbonthroughout their 30-year lifespans. When it comes to packaging, know which materials are accepted by your curbside recycling service. "Water Footprint of Crop and Animal Products: A Comparison." how meat and dairy contributes to carbon emissions - accounting for 14.5 per cent of all man-made emissions, according to the UN - but some . Wyatt, Sydney. Environmental Defense Fund. If sent to a landfill, this pulp will produce methane, a greenhouse gas80 times worsethan carbon dioxide, as it rots. Oat milk has a lower carbon footprint than all its top competitors: cow's milk, almond milk, and soy milk. "Retail Sales Data." Animal, vol. Credit: Kaffee Meister/Unsplash, CC BY Rice Rice milk has a big water footprint. California Department of Pesticide Regulation, 2019. Environmental Protection Agency. The Economics of Cattle Ranching in the Amazon: Land Grabbing or Pushing the Agricultural Frontier? U.S. Department of Agriculture. That impact comes from a combination of processes associated with milk production, including the massive amount of grain needed to feed the world's dairy cows, the energy needed to turn raw milk into consumer products, packaging materials, and the methane output from cows. But which milk has the smallest impact on the planet? The annual impact from eating a specific food is calculated by multiplying the impact of one serving of that food by the times it is eaten in a year, based on the weekly estimates submitted by the user. While oat milk does use more land than the other three plant-milks, it is only by a very slim margin, and oats are not a significant deforestation driver. "I suspect that most consumers underestimate the greenhouse gas emissions saved by switching from dairy milk to plant-based milk such as soy milk.". Cattle farming has been called the leading cause of deforestation in the Amazon. In the case of cow's milk, its global warming potential measured as kilogram of carbon dioxide equivalent per litre of milk varies between 1.14 in Australia and New Zealand to 2.50 in Africa. This figure factors in the emissions generated from farming the oat, harvesting it, and processing it into oat milk. Tempeh vs. Tofu: Which Is More Environmentally Friendly? Quinton, Amy. January 19, 2022 Milk is a dietary staple across many countries in the world. There are nearly a billion cows on the planet, each a living, breathing methane machine whose burps and farts amount to 220 pounds of greenhouse gases per year. Is Climate Change Consuming Your Favorite Foods? Smith, Liam. Producing a glass of dairy milk every day for a year requires 650 sq m (7,000 sq ft) of land, the equivalent of two tennis courts and more. 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Climate change: Where we are in seven charts, Biden and Trump to make final pitches on eve of midterms, Ukraine is reason to act fast on climate - PM, US confirms 'communications' with Kremlin, 'We'd never seen this much water' - flood survivors, In the name of atheism: The case of Mubarak Bala. 711-717., doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2017.12.063. However, it's worth noting that both almond and rice milk still require less water to produce than the typical glass of dairy milk. University of Delaware, 2019. They grow abundantly throughout the Americas, Europe, and Australia. If you cannot view the food calculator, click to launch the interactive content. Oatly makes use of its production waste, but there may be plant-based milk producers that don't. Goto, Taylor. This. 2022 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. "Pollinators at a Crossroads." And bloom season, as it happens, is theprime time to spray. One glass is equivalent to about .4 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions,. "Remember that hemp and oat milks are better for environment in comparison to almond, rice, and coconut (taking into account their water usage too," she said. Grass Fed vs. Oat milk companies have recently entered the UK market, giving the drink a boost in search interest. Shop local whenever possible or, better yet, go the package-free route andmake your own plant-based milkat home. United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Ritchie, Hannah "How Much of the Worlds Land Would We Need in Order to Feed the Global Population with the Average Diet of a Given Country?" This is significantly lower compared to the water usage to produce dairy, soy, and almond milks! Chris Jackson/Getty Images News/Getty Images, produces about 3,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, alternative milks require lots of processing, packaging can still leave a footprint on the environment. Dont get me wrong, I love a good old-fashioned creamy chai latte with whole milk. Pea Milk vs Oat Milk. Alternating between deep and shallow roots helps to stabilize the soil, and the constant changeover deters pests and disease. Herbicides were applied to 51% of planted acres, fungicides to 9%, andinsecticides to 4%. Data compiled by Columbia University's Climate School shows that oat milk has the lowest overall carbon footprint when compared to cow's milk, almond milk, and soy milk. Science Says, 2020. Buy on Amazon. A seven-ounce glass comes. The land used to produce the annual consumption of each food is compared with the size of a double tennis court, 261 metres squared. It can be used as a cereal alternative and has a lower carbon footprint than regular milk. The World Wildlife Fund has reported that 80% of the world's soy is used to feed livestock. For many people, plant-based eating starts with replacing cow's milk with oat milk in their morning coffee. That carbon footprint comes from the use of inorganic nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers, animal . The warm spices and frothy milk is the pick me up I look forward to every day. That almond orchards are so geographically concentrated means the product must also travel great distances, generating more greenhouse gas emissions. Generally speaking, oat wins for overall sustainability. Where something is produced can mean there is a variation in its impact on the climate, see the chart below on dairy milk. 1, 2019, pp. Although Oatly promotes itself as a folksy, right-on, climate-change-busting start-up, it is a $2 billion business, the world's largest oat milk company. "Nitrogen: Best Management Practices." Compare this to the global warming potential of plant-based milks, which, on average, is just 0.42 for almond and coconut milk and 0.75 for soy . Almond Board of California. Gustin describes the effects of dairy consumption in her article, noting that for every gallon of milk consumed, 17.6 pounds of carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere. 14, no. Author provided Although it looks like there's no such thing as 100% "green" eggs and bacon,. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. And oat milk does appear to have less of a carbon footprint than some other plant-based milks. How Much of the Worlds Land Would We Need in Order to Feed the Global Population with the Average Diet of a Given Country? Is it the water needed to sustain animals versus grow plants? The nutty beverage has dominated the market since 2013, when it surpassed soy milk in sales. But keep in mind that this comes from the oat milk company itself there isn't much independent research available on this topic right now. "Cows and Climate Change: Making Cattle More Sustainable." With aquifers are being drained at a dangerous rate, negative effects are impacting nearby river ecosystems. Besides the major issue of water consumption, the second biggestenvironmental criticism of the almond industryis perhaps its reliance on harsh chemicals. The figures for greenhouse gas emissions are in kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2eq). "U.S. Plant-Based Food Retail Sales Hit $7.4 Billion, Outpacing Total Retail Sales, Despite Supply Chain Interruptions and Pandemic Restrictions Creating Widespread Volatility in the Food Industry." Almond Cow Milk Maker Machine, Plant Based Milk Maker for Homemade Almond Milk, Soy Milk, Oat Milk,. When buying oat milk, make sure it's made from USDA-certified organic oats, choose brands based in your neck of the woods, opt for the unsweetened variety, and look for ones with calcium and/or vitamin D fortification for extra nutrition. A 2011 study in science journal Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions found it takes a total of 242 litres of water to produce a cup of cow's milk, 132 litres for a cup of soy milk . "Migratory Management and Environmental Conditions Affect Lifespan and Oxidative Stress in Honey Bees." In terms of greenhouse gas emissions, 200 milliliters of soy milk creates 0.195 kilograms of carbon dioxide. 2021. All figures for each food in the calculator are global averages. Water use is similarly higher for cow's milk: 628. Every litre of cow's milk uses 8.9 square metres per year, compared to 0.8 for oat, 0.7 for soy, 0.5 for almond and 0.3 for rice milk. Almond Board of California, 2016. Oat milk also has a relatively low greenhouse footprint, with carbon dioxide emissions at 0.18 kilograms for a 200 milliliter glass. This number is a third of the emissions of dairy and at the price point of $1to $3 per half gallon, makes soy an excellent sustainable alternative milk choice. The Best Diet for the Climate Crisis Takes Red Meat Off the Menu, Farmers Are Fighting Over Fertilizer As Agriculture's Impact on the Environment Becomes Undeniable. One major environmental issue plaguing the oat industry is its reliance on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. 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