As you probably already know, the best option in terms of sustainability is to cut out meat entirely, as this cuts the most water wastage. If this seems impossible for you right now, don’t worry! Start by cutting out some meats that are worse for the environment, and maybe eventually you will be able to transition to a fully vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. The first step is to educate yourself on water wastage in food production. Here are some easy resources so you can see the impact of your choices:
This water calculator easily helps you see just how much water is involved in the production of different meat and other food and it should help you make better food choices that are more sustainable. https://www.watercalculator.org/water-use/water-friendly-food-choices/
So now you know a little bit more about water wastage and food, here are some of the practical things you can do:
- Cut out beef and lamb- it takes 2,400 gallons of water to produce 1 lb of beef
https://www.watercalculator.org/water-use/water-footprint-beef-industrial-pasture/
- By contrast,Chicken and Turkey are the most sustainable options- to produce 1 lb of chicken this takes around 468 gallons of water
And if you are interested in cutting out meat, here are some good meat-free alternatives that should help you in the transition. https://www.peta.org/living/food/meat-replacements/