The overwhelming and vast majority of scientists agree that human activity is the predominant factor contributing to climate change. As the climate has begun to change and the world has het up, sea levels have increasingly risen, extreme weather events - from floods and hurricanes, to droughts - have increased in frequency, and whole species of wonderful animals are disappearing, having been ravaged by environmental change and poaching. 2016 was the hottest year ever recorded, and us such an immediate response is required to avert the destruction of the planet.

The needs of industry still have priority over environmental worries, and, as such, there is insufficient political will to take drastic action on the environment. However, there are things we can each do to bring down our personal carbon footprint. This may seem futile, if we were all to drastically tackle our footprints, it would have a significant impact on the output of Carbon Dioxide and other harmful gases.

One simple and fruitful method by which you can bring down your carbon footprint would be to jettison meat, or, at the very least, dramatically cut the amount of meat you eat on a regular basis. Studies have shown that a global drop in the quantity of red meat (especially beef and lamb) consumed frequently would slash by 15 to 35% the amount of greenhouse gases produced by farm related activities by 2050.

Meat farming is to blame for 13-18% of global emissions of greenhouse gases, and whilst it’s not the biggest contributor to climate change, animal agriculture plays a demonstrably important role in global climate change. There are various elements in animal farming that help cause and increase global warming.

Front and foremost, deforestation by the meat farming industry is a significant factor in climate change. The logging of large forested areas for the purpose of constructing farms reduces the number of plants which can perform photosynthesis, reducing excessive amounts of CO2 in the Earth’s atmosphere.

The practice of farming cows, who produce vast amounts of methane, is extremely significant in damaging the world environment. Methane itself is 20 times more powerful and dangerous to the ozone layer, which keeps the world from being fried by the sun, than Carbon Dioxide. The farming of Beef is, therefore, a severely negative activity for the planet. Beef farms, especially cows which are factory farmed, produce humongous quantities of devastating gases.

That’s not to mention the damage of transport and packing. Meat packaging, even if made of a recyclable material, is food contaminated, and, as such, cannot be recycled. Further, imported meat is, more likely than not, to have be carried on huge ships, which use copious amounts of fuel.

That said, however, consuming meat is beneficial for the human body, we are, naturally, carnivores after all. So replace regular meat consumption with something just as good, and tasty, for your body.Superfoods may do the job. Superfoods are vegan items of food that have many benefits for you and your body, a notable example of which is Kale. Superfoods aren’t just better for the planet, but, amongst many other things, they reduce damage to human eyes which is often caused by the blue lights on devices such as phones and computers.

So, if you wish to be eco-friendly and social responsibility, and enjoy the benefits of wonderful superfoods, cut back the amount of meat you consume, and consider replacing it with highly beneficial superfoods. Climate change is a meaty topic (see what I did there!?), and one you can help address by following this advice!

Author's Bio: 

Morgan Franklin is a freelance writer, editor and designer who works across various sectors and largely online. His work covers everything from business and politics to the environment, ethics and entertainment.