Make meat a treat

A century ago, meat was an expensive luxury in most people's diets. Nowadays, industrial farming has made meat so cheap that almost everybody can afford to eat it in large quantities all the time. However, eating meat, and especially beef and lamb, makes the biggest contribution to the carbon footprint of your diet.

Switching from a meat heavy diet to a vegetarian diet can reduce the carbon footprint of your diet by almost half. Switching to a completely plant-based diet (vegan) reduces it further.

If the thought of giving up your juicy beef burger or lamb casserole is too hard to fathom, be aware that you don't need to become vegetarian overnight to make a difference. You can start with reducing the amount of meat you eat.

Save that fancy steak or lamb burger for special occasions, like a summer barbecue, birthday meal, or weekend treat. This mindset shift can start you on the road to reducing your diet-based carbon footprint.

Additionally, there are plant-based meat substitutes that you can use in your regular meals to help you along the journey. Check out The Ultimate Guide to Vegan Meats and Meat Substitutes, and food companies like Beyond Meat.