We live in a rapidly-warming world that is saturated in meat. Even in the wake of a pandemic that shuttered processing plants, raised prices, and boosted sales of alternative meat, the $1.7 trillion global animal meat industry didn't go anywhere. Beef is still a staple at supermarkets, restaurants and family tables across the U.S. (Pork remains the most popular meat in most of Europe and Asia).

That's a shame because cutting down on meat consumption in general — and beef in particular — is one of the best things we can do as individuals for the environment. Livestock is the cause of one-fifth of all greenhouse gas emissions, according to a landmark 2014 U.S. land use study. And not all livestock was created equal. Each cow needs 28 times more land and 11 times more water than the average agricultural animal; each cow leads to 5 times the emissions.

Problem is, that sort of statistic can be hard to remember when you're dealing with a hungry family at mealtime. Stare at a plate of delicious burgers at a barbecue and you think: We've eaten meat products for thousands of years. It's natural. Where's the harm? Sit in line in the fast food drive-thru and it seems like your biggest contribution to global warming is the car you're in; you'd never guess a pound of beef is worse for the planet than a gallon of gasoline.

Read the full article about meat alternatives by Chris Taylor at Mashable.