By: Anna S.
Photo from: LIVEKINDLY
It’s everywhere- ice cream, cheese, butter. Personally, I put milk in my coffee and in my oatmeal, my usual breakfast. Most people drink milk or eat products that contain milk, but it is important to consider the environmental impact different types of milk can have. I never really considered it, since I consumed dairy milk for most of my life. However, this past year, I switched to almond milk because I preferred its taste and assumed it was better for the environment. But is almond milk actually the most sustainable milk? If not, what is? There are so many other types of milk that need to be considered when answering this question and so many of their environmental factors that need to be evaluated.
Dairy Milk
A non-graphic image of the abuse cows face in dairy farms. Cows are often forced into small, dark, crowded environments within their farms. Photo from: Peta
It is no secret that dairy cows live in awful conditions. Young calves are separated from their mothers and cows are forced to live in dark environments where they cannot move freely and have to stand on concrete floors (Sentient Media). This treatment is immoral and cruel. Cows are not given the opportunity to live freely in an outdoor environment; instead, they are held captive for their entire lives.
Additionally, dairy milk production has a poor impact on the atmosphere because of its large emission of greenhouse gasses. About 3.4% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States can be linked to dairy cattle (Science Direct). These gasses include CH4 and N2O, which are released from manure in housing facilities. Airborne emissions can hurt the air quality on farms, which can worsen living conditions for cattle (WorldWildLife). These greenhouse gasses have a huge impact on not only the people on and around farms, but they also contribute to climate change, which is already severe and does not need any additional contributors.
Almond Milk
Almond plants require a lot of water to grow, almost 6 times as much water as oats. Photo from: Gardening Know How
Although almond milk produces the least amount of greenhouse gasses and it requires little land to grow, over 370 liters of water are needed to produce 1 liters of almond milk (The Grocer). This trade off is a bad one; there is a minimal effect on climate change, but the large use of water is hurtful to the environment. Recently, more almond farms have emerged due to the large demand for almond milk, resulting in increased water wastage (UCSF Office of Sustainability). Almond milk popularity increased along with the increase in veganism and demand for almond milk lattes, which are offered across many coffee shops in the U.S. Little do people know that almond milk is not as sustainable as they think it is.
Not only does almond production cause increased irrigation, it also contributes to pollution. Nonpoint source pollution is often caused by runoff, which allows for chemicals to enter the world’s water systems. Almonds require a lot of care and pesticides to be grown and maintained, so it is no surprise that the residue of 9 different pesticides have been found on almonds (USDA Pesticide Data Program). One of these pesticides is harmful to honeybees, which are already endangered due to disease causing parasites. Almonds require an abundant amount of resources that end up hurting our planet, so it is important to reconsider the widespread use of almond milk.
Soy Milk
Forest fire in Amazon Rainforest from August 2019. Photo from: CourtHouseNews
From a health perspective, soy milk can be very beneficial, but it is not the best alternative in terms of sustainability. In comparison to other plant milk, soy’s protein content is closest to that of dairy (The Guardian), which is why soy milk is very popular amongst people who do not consume meat.
However, the production of soy contributes to the deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest. Although the deforestation due to soy is not as great as the deforestation due to the beef industry, the ground in the Amazon Rainforest is being burned to clear land for soy farms, causing hundreds of forest fires to occur each day (CourtHouseNews). The soybeans used for most soy milk comes from the U.S., so it is important to read labels and make sure the soy milk you are purchasing is not from a place like Brazil, where the demand for soy is causing the Amazon Rainforest and grasslands to be burned.
Coconut Milk
The top 5 producers of coconut. All of these countries contain wet tropical regions in which coconut trees can thrive. Photo from: The Economic Times
Unlike almond plants, coconut trees actually mitigate global warming. Coconut trees pull CO2 out of the air, meaning that they take in the greenhouse gases that ignite global warming (Well and Good). Coconuts could greatly help the atmosphere because of this ability but there are other environmental factors that need to be considered when taking a look at coconut milk’s sustainability. Coconuts are grown in Indonesia, the Philippines, and other wet tropical regions, requiring extensive transportation to bring them to North America. Not only is this an inconvenience, but ships cause 3% of the world’s global CO2 emissions within the world’s already polluted water systems (The International Council of Clean Transportation).
Oat Milk
Oat milk can be made at home. This is done by blending the oats and then straining the milk produced. Photo from: DetoxInista
Oat milk is arguably the most sustainable choice, as it has less of a carbon footprint than all other plant-based milks and dairy milk. It takes one sixth of the water used to produce a pound of almonds to produce a pound of oats (The Cornell Daily Sun). Because increased non dairy milk demand is putting extra stress on water sources, oat milk can be incredibly beneficial in this economic transition, as the production of oats saves millions of gallons of water per year. What’s more, oat farms use 80% less land than dairy farms (The Cornell Daily Sun). Oat milk requires less resources to grow, which is helpful not only environmentally, but also economically. Although oats may release slightly more greenhouse emissions than almonds, the amount of water and land they save is a special quality that sets it apart from other types of non-dairy milk.
No matter what milk one consumes, an environmental impact will occur. All of the foods and drinks people consume relate to the world’s ecosystems in some way, which is why it is important to be aware of this. . Personally, I have switched from almond milk to oat milk because I find comfort in knowing that what I am consuming did not require gallons upon gallons of water to produce (and I also prefer the taste of oat milk). Oat milk can now be found in most coffee shops, like Dunkin’ Donuts, which is very convenient for us oat milk drinkers. That being said, the switch is easy. It only takes a little bit of education to make a greener choice.
Photo from: Scripps
Discussion Questions:
What type of milk do you drink, if any? Are you willing to try a new one after reading this article?
What are the most important factors that should be evaluated when purchasing milk (sustainability, price, health, taste, diet, availability, packaging, etc)?