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Environmental Impact of food groups - Coggle Diagram
Environmental Impact of food groups
Grains
Efficient and sustainable source of calories and protein
Low GHG emissions
Moderate water use (depends on type and region)
High yield per hectare (good land efficiency)
Monocultures can cause soil degradation and reduce biodiversity
Whole grains are more sustainable than refined grains
Fruits and vegetables
Moderate water use (depends on the crop), i.e carrots have low, avocados high.
Generally low environmental impact. Low GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions: ~0.4–1.1 kg CO₂e/kg
Efficient land use compared to animal products
Can lead to high food waste
Seasonal and local produce have lower carbon footprint
Better when grown organically or with sustainable practices
Meat,Fish,Poultry, etc protein foods
Highest environmental impact (varies by type)
Red meat (beef, lamb)
Very high GHG emissions (~60 kg CO₂e/kg beef)
High water use (~15,000 L/kg)
Requires large areas of land (grazing, feed crops)
Livestock farming leads to deforestation and pollution
Poultry and pork
Lower GHG, land, and water use than beef
Fish
Wild-caught: risk of overfishing, bycatch
Farmed: pollution risk if poorly managed
Plant-based proteins (legumes, tofu) = far more sustainable alternatives
Dairy
Moderate to high environmental impact (depends on product and method)
High GHG emissions from methane (cows)
Cheese and butter have higher impact than milk
High water use
Milk: ~1,000 L water per 1 L of milk
Cheese: even more
Risk of pollution from animal waste and manure
Local, low-input dairy farms usually have lower footprint
Fats and oils
Environmental impact varies by source
alm oil- Linked to deforestation and habitat loss
Plant-based oils (olive, sunflower, rapeseed): Generally lower emissions
Moderate land and water use (varies)
Sustainable certification (e.g., RSPO) is important for palm oil
Cold-pressed oils may use less processing energy