The dairy industry has a substantial impact on the environment. Farmers tend to about 270 million cows in order to produce milk. Having this large scale production has an enormous environmental impact. Large amounts of water are used to sustain the dairy industry with raising cattle, growing food, and processing milk. It takes between 30 to 50 gallons of water to sustain each cow per day. Raising dairy cattle also requires large amounts of land. Cattle create large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions that increase the effects of global warming.
Why go with milk alternatives?
A study done by the University of Oxford found that a glass of dairy milk contains three times more greenhouse emissions and nine times more land use compared to a glass of plant based milk. Nine times more land is used to make a liter of dairy milk compared to non-dairy alternatives. Dairy production releases three times more greenhouse gasses compared to plant-based alternatives.
Look for dairy products that have these certified labels:
Certified Grass Fed by AGW: “Requires that animals ate a pasture based, ruminant diet of only grass which provides better animal health (less gut disease) and nutrient quality in the final product. Animals were not confined to feedlots and did not have daily drugs.”
NOFA-NY Certified 100% Grass Fed: “In addition to being organic, a strong environmental label, this label requires that animals eat a pasture based, ruminant diet of only grass which provides better animal health (less gut disease) and nutrient quality in the final product. Animals were not confined to feedlots, and did not have daily drugs.”
PCO Certified 100% Grass Fed: “In addition to being organic, a strong environmental label, this label requires that animals eat a pasture based, ruminant diet of only grass which provides better animal health (less gut disease) and nutrient quality in the final product. Animals were not confined to feedlots, and did not have daily drugs.”
Non-Dairy Alternatives
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Soy Milk
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Almond Milk
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Coconut Milk
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Oat Milk
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Cashew Milk
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Rice Milk
Milk Bags
Milk bags are popular in Canada, China, India and other countries around the world. Milk bags are a thin polyethylene pouch that is lightweight and can hold large amounts of milk. They are lighter which makes it easier to ship and use less plastic than the standard milk jug. Plastic milk bags can be larger and can be more useful as a bulk resource. Liter to liter, milk bags consume 20 to 30 percent of the energy compared to milk jugs.