Is Meat Really That Bad?
Videos
Grades9, 10, 11, 12Biology, Earth and Space Sciences
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by Kurzgesagt - In a Nutshell
What it is
- This video is mainly about beef production, the footprints of various foods, and agricultural land requirements to produce various foods.
- It concludes that beef can be produced in a variety of ways with differing impacts on the climate, but will always produce more emissions than a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Teaching tips
Positives
- The video does not shame the viewer for their food choices but empowers individuals to make informed decisions based on one's own knowledge.
- It dispels common misconceptions about beef production and addresses misleading marketing campaigns.
Prerequisites
- Students should understand climate change, the greenhouse gas effect, and what the different greenhouse gases are.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Students can use the Foodprint Calculator to determine their diet's annual environmental impact.
- Students who are inspired to take action can start a Meatless Mondays campaign.
- Other resources on this topic include The Diet that Helps Fight Climate Change and Environmental Impacts of Food Data Explorer.
From the scientist review
As an individual, consuming meat, particularly beef, is one of our biggest contributions to climate change. There is also a lot of misleading marketing out there in regards to the carbon footprint of various ways in which beef is produced. This video dispels some of these myths and talks about the carbon cost of beef. This resource is recommended for teaching.
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