Environmental Impact: Dairy Milk vs. Plant-based Milks
Investigating the Environmental Footprint of Milk
This episode of Science Versus explores the environmental impact of various plant-based alternatives—referred to affectionately as "schmilks"—compared to traditional dairy milk. Researcher Joseph Poore from the University of Oxford provides data from over 10,000 farms globally to determine which options are truly the most sustainable.
The Environmental Reality of Dairy
Across every major sustainability indicator, dairy milk is the most harmful option.
- Land Use: Dairy cows require approximately 830 million hectares of land globally, which is comparable to the size of Brazil.
- Efficiency: It requires, on average, nine times more land to produce a glass of dairy milk than any plant-based schmilk.
The Vices of Plant-Based Milks
While plant-based milks are significantly better than dairy, they each come with specific environmental challenges:
- Almond Milk: Its Achilles' heel is water usage, particularly in water-stressed regions like California.
- Rice Milk: This option is associated with higher greenhouse gas emissions due to methane-producing bacteria in flooded paddies and significant fertilizer runoff issues.
- Soy and Oat Milk: These tend to require more land than almond or rice versions, with some soy crops linked to the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest.
"I think they're all such low impacts compared to dairy milk. You know, if we chose to change to any of them, it would generally be beneficial." — Joseph Poore
Ultimately, researchers conclude that while individual plant milks have trade-offs, switching from dairy to any plant-based alternative results in massive global savings in land, greenhouse gas emissions, and water usage.