Running a bath can have a higher carbon footprint than eating 4oz of British beef, the author of a new book has said.
Jayne Buxton, whose workThe Great Plant-Based Conadvocates a common sense approach to diet, blamed the growth of the epidemiology industry for an endless stream of company-funded university studies which seek to vilify farmers for the climate crisis.
She said: The research often provides very weak associations, but it plays into the hands of the media who need a constant stream of headlines such as, Eating meat takes 10 days off your life or Eat vegan, live longer.
The carbohydrate and food processing companies can profit from this message and encourage the media to amplify it, which keeps it at the front of everybodys minds.
Ms Buxton, who is an ambassador for theReal Food Campaignand thePublic Health Collaboration, said she had consulted an army of scientists for the book, which seeks to redress the balance around the quantity and quality of facts that are doled out to the public.
The idea that we should be giving up meat to combat climate change is a bit like rearranging deck chairs, she said.
Professor Myles Allen has said eliminating emissions from global livestock entirely would do very little to impact global warming. He says we should concentrate on fossil fuels and if we do not, everything else is pretty irrelevant.
But individuals like to hear that by giving up meat they can do something for the environment. It stops them thinking about what else they do that create emissions. For example, eating a 4oz of British beef may account for 2,000g-3,000g of carbon and running a bath is around 2,500g, but we do not demonise people who take a bath every day.
Ms Buxton toldFarmers Guardianit was up to the Government to deliver a more consistent message, advising people to eat real foods and whole foods and ensure farmers are supported for providing food that sustains the nation.
