According to the report published by two American research organizations
and called the "Meat Eater's Guide to climate change + health", meats
are among most carbon intensive foods. Lamb is a leader with 39.2 kg CO2
per kilogram, what is equivalent to driving about 90 miles on the car with average gas mileage.
In top ten foods with the biggest carbon footprint we also find beef - 27 kg CO2, cheese - 13.5 kg CO2, pork - 12.1 kg CO2,
farmed salmon - 11.9 kg CO2, chicken - 6.9 kg CO2. Potatoes
with 2.9 kg CO2 per kilogram is the only vegetable among top ten most
greenhouse gas emitting foods. Research was based on life cycle assessments of
greenhouse gas emissions for each major
process, from the production and application of fertilizers, pesticides and
other materials used to grow crops through to the processing, transportation
and disposal of unused food at the retail, institutional and household level.
