Our dietary choices do carry environmental impacts. But, eating meat in reasonable amounts is not detrimental to our environment. The impact comes from eating processed and packaged goods. The best choice is to eat locally and in season as often as possible. But, that is not always feasible and rarely convienent.
The environmental impact comes from the packaging we throw away and all the energy used to produce the packaging. Every step of the way from the box that was made from trees to the plastic wrapping. More often than not plastic is a petroleum product. The oil may have come from producers that use a process called hydraulic fracturing. This process involves pumping chemicals into the ground to help extract the oil. But, this is not always the case. If not recycled, the packaging is sometimes burned. Which can put off fumes. Other time it accumulates in landfills and it doesn't always stay there.
I feel the best option for somebody who doesn't have massive resources for food storage, is to simply purchase more minimally processed goods where they already shop. There is no need for a massive dietary overhaul. Small simple changes will have an impact. And, I know it is difficult to make choices with this in mind. I like quick fix dishes and sometimes canned soup is the easiest option.
What do you think?