Around a quarter of the planet-warming greenhouse gases that humans produce each year are

responsible for the world's food system.This involves raising and harvesting all the plants,
animals and animal products that we consume, such as beef, chicken, fish, milk, corn and more,
as well as refining, packaging and exporting food to markets around the world.

Huge reserves of carbon are released into the atmosphere as forests are cleared to make way for
farms and livestock, which heats up the earth. When cows, sheep and goats digest their food,
they burp up methane, another potent greenhouse gas contributing to climate change. Also, large
sources of methane are animal waste and rice paddies.

Eating less of the foods with the biggest climate footprints, like beef, lamb and cheese would
reduce those emission. But the most climate-friendly options of all tend to be plant-based foods
like beans, grains and soy. But also, bear in mind that food intake is always only a small fraction
of the overall carbon footprint of a person: driving, flying, and home energy usage are also to be
taken into account.