Climavores: The rise and fall of plant-based meat

07/12/22 • 43 min

1 Listener

Demand for plant-based meat products surged in 2019 as companies developed better-tasting products, negotiated better shelf positioning, and tapped into shifting consumer preferences. But demand flatlined in 2021, raising questions about whether plant-based products can put a dent in meat consumption.

Environmentalists have criticized companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods for lack of transparency on land and water use. And nutrition experts dislike how processed they are. But the reality is clear: these products are much, much better for the climate than beef.

In this episode, Tamar and Mike look at whether people are going to ditch beef patties for a slab of soy or pea protein. What are all the cultural obstacles?

Have a question about food and climate change for Mike and Tamar? Leave a message on the Climavores hotline at (508) 377-3449. Or email us at [email protected]. We might feature your question on a future episode.

Climavores is a production of Post Script Media. Post Script Media is backed by Prelude Ventures.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Tamar and Mike look at whether people are going to ditch beef patties for a slab of soy or pea protein. What are all the cultural obstacles?

Climavores is a production of Post Script Media. Post Script Media is backed by Prelude Ventures.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Previous Episode

Climavores: It’s not the 'how,' it’s the cow

Few foods are as tied up in American identity as beef. Think rugged cowboys driving cattle across the open range, or all the good feelings that come with summer grilling season. We love our beef.

But meat accounts for nearly 60% of all greenhouse gasses from food production. And beef production alone makes up a quarter of that. The pro-beef camp often argues that it’s not the cow that’s the problem for the climate. It’s how the cow is raised. But as Mike and Tamar explain, a lot of it is the cow.

In this episode, Mike and Tamar dig into how the U.S. fell so deeply in love with beef in the first place, and what the main problems are with conventional beef production in the U.S. They also look at efforts to green the beef industry and whether they’re having an impact. From grass-fed beef to local meat CSAs, they try to answer the question: are there climate-friendlier ways to eat beef?

Resources:

Have a question about food and climate change for Mike and Tamar? Leave a message on the Climavores hotline at (508) 377-3449. Or email us at [email protected]. We might feature your question on a future episode.

Climavores is a production of Post Script Media.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Next Episode

Climavores: Are vertical farms a real solution?

Farmland covers almost 40% of the earth's land surface. When we think about all that farmland, most of us imagine endless fields of grain or corn. But vertical farms flip that idea on its head, literally. Instead of growing out, vertical farms stack plants in multiple layers indoors where they grow impressive yields under the steady glow of LED lighting.

Vertical farms are an attempt to sidestep many of the problems associated with traditional farming – bad weather, pesticides, fertilizer runoff, hard labor, food miles, and agriculture’s gigantic land use footprint. On the surface, they seem like a farming win. But there’s a problem – and it’s a deal-breaker.

In this episode, Tamar and Mike explore the ins and outs of vertical farming, and dig in on that deal-breaker (hint: it’s all about energy). They also take a look at what vertical farms get right, and what outdoor farming can learn from them.

Climavores is a production of Post Script Media.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices