Eat Green

A Mainly Plant-Based Diet

Eating less meat and dairy and consuming mainly a plant-based diet, requires less land, reduces CO2 emissions and has health benefits.

Less land required

The area needed to feed someone is significantly lower for mainly plant-based diets compared to those involving substantial meat consumption.

• About 40% of the UK’s most productive agricultural land is used to grow food for farm animals instead of people.[1]

• Dairy and meat products provide only 32% of calories consumed in the UK, and less than half (48%) of protein, but – by contrast – livestock and their feed make up 85% of the UK’s total land use for agriculture.[1]

• Much of the feed for UK livestock (46%) is imported. That creates pressure to cut down forest to grow crops like soya.[2] Imported wild-caught fish is used to feed farmed salmon and other livestock.

Estimates from: [1] WWF press release, see also: Farming evidence - key statistics; [2]  UK Feed Market Outlook – Winter 2025/6   [3] Wild fish stocks squandered to feed farmed salmon, study finds.[3]

Reduction in the CO2 emissions that are causing climate change

Switching away from meat consumption also gives large CO2 emissions savings. In tonnes CO2e / year: 

• Average US Diet: 2.5 tonnes

• No-Beef US Diet: 1.9 tonnes

• Vegetarian US Diet: 1.7 tonnes

• Vegan US Diet: 1.5 tonnes

Estimates from: Shrink That Footprint 

Health benefits of a more plant-based diet

The NHS advice on How to Eat a Balanced Diet stresses the benefits of diets that include plenty of fruit and vegetables plus higher fibre starchy foods. There is advice for those who want to eat a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Grow your own

If you have a garden - front or back - you can grow some of your own food. You get the benefit of exercise as well as fresh food.