May Meat Challenge Information: GHG IMPACT OF 5 KINDS OF MILK

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Emerald

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May 14, 2021, 7:59:08 AM5/14/21
to Earth Action Campaign
This is an ongoing thread for the month of May for sharing your climate-friendly food suggestions, recipes, tips and experiences.
Thank you to everyone who has been writing and responding.  Feel free to share your tips and recipes.
Please keep this same subject line so that people can choose if they want to read it and participate.

GREENHOUSE GAS IMPACT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF MILK
Dairy milk has the biggest carbon footprint by far.  When we take into consideration the impacts of different non-dairy milks, oat milk has the lowest footprint of the five choices on this chart.  Other milks to also consider are hemp milk, flax milk, coconut milk and hazelnut milk.  Each one has pluses and minuses. 
Almond milk is probably the most popular of all non-dairy milks but almonds require a lot of water and almond trees here in California during a drought are part of the problem.  Almond milk also tends to separate in a hot beverage, but it is delicious and nutritious so let's not give it up entirely but consider other choices too.
Oat milk is the cheapest and the easiest to make (check out the recipe in a previous post in this thread).  Hemp and flax milks are highly nutritious. 
Commercial coconut milk tends to have fewer additives, is available unsweetened, and has a thick, creamy consistency that doesn't separate and is delicious in a hot beverage.  It also has a higher carbon footprint for coming from a tropical country.
Hazelnuts are one of the most overlooked choices for dairy alternatives as well as a nut source of nutrients.  Hazelnuts are climate friendly, easy to grow, can be local (they grow especially well in Oregon), and they grow like a bush or a vine and not like a tree.  (They can be trained to grow along a fence and take up very little space.)  They don't require a lot of water, and can be grown here.  If you are thinking about what foods you can grow consider growing hazelnuts and use them for milk, nuts, nut butter, and amazing treats with chocolate.
What milk do you like best? 
How does your milk's carbon footprint compare?
    
GHG Dairy.jpg

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Bev Alexander

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May 14, 2021, 12:25:23 PM5/14/21
to Emerald, Earth Action Campaign
Although soy milk is in the charts, you don’t mention it in your discussion. I have been using (organic) soy milk because it is the highest in protein. I cannot make yogurt from any other non-dairy milk without using a thickener. 

Bev

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Beverly Alexander
Protect Wild Petaluma🌿
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peace.
it does not mean to be in a place
where there is no noise, trouble
or hard work. it means to be in
the midst of those things and still
be calm in your heart.

Paul Larkin

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May 14, 2021, 1:29:09 PM5/14/21
to Bev Alexander, Emerald, Earth Action Campaign
I use a product called Ripple. It’s made from peas, and is high in protein. Oat milk and almond milk are pretty low. 
https://www.ripplefoods.com/

Paul


On May 14, 2021, at 9:25 AM, Bev Alexander <smil...@gmail.com> wrote:


Although soy milk is in the charts, you don’t mention it in your discussion. I have been using (organic) soy milk because it is the highest in protein. I cannot make yogurt from any other non-dairy milk without using a thickener. 

Bev
On Fri, May 14, 2021 at 4:59 AM Emerald <Eme...@occupysonomacounty.org> wrote:
This is an ongoing thread for the month of May for sharing your climate-friendly food suggestions, recipes, tips and experiences.
Thank you to everyone who has been writing and responding.  Feel free to share your tips and recipes.
Please keep this same subject line so that people can choose if they want to read it and participate.

GREENHOUSE GAS IMPACT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF MILK
Dairy milk has the biggest carbon footprint by far.  When we take into consideration the impacts of different non-dairy milks, oat milk has the lowest footprint of the five choices on this chart.  Other milks to also consider are hemp milk, flax milk, coconut milk and hazelnut milk.  Each one has pluses and minuses. 
Almond milk is probably the most popular of all non-dairy milks but almonds require a lot of water and almond trees here in California during a drought are part of the problem.  Almond milk also tends to separate in a hot beverage, but it is delicious and nutritious so let's not give it up entirely but consider other choices too.
Oat milk is the cheapest and the easiest to make (check out the recipe in a previous post in this thread).  Hemp and flax milks are highly nutritious. 
Commercial coconut milk tends to have fewer additives, is available unsweetened, and has a thick, creamy consistency that doesn't separate and is delicious in a hot beverage.  It also has a higher carbon footprint for coming from a tropical country.
Hazelnuts are one of the most overlooked choices for dairy alternatives as well as a nut source of nutrients.  Hazelnuts are climate friendly, easy to grow, can be local (they grow especially well in Oregon), and they grow like a bush or a vine and not like a tree.  (They can be trained to grow along a fence and take up very little space.)  They don't require a lot of water, and can be grown here.  If you are thinking about what foods you can grow consider growing hazelnuts and use them for milk, nuts, nut butter, and amazing treats with chocolate.
What milk do you like best? 
How does your milk's carbon footprint compare?
    
<GHG Dairy.jpg>

Bev Alexander

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May 14, 2021, 1:55:15 PM5/14/21
to Paul Larkin, Earth Action Campaign, Emerald
Paul, where do you get Ripple and is it organic?

Bev

Bev Alexander

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May 14, 2021, 2:08:07 PM5/14/21
to Paul Larkin, Earth Action Campaign, Emerald
I didn’t see the ingredients on the website at first, but then I found them and more information. I see that it is GMO free but they don’t claim organic. I think I will try it, although I wish they hadn’t added sunflower oil to it.

😊

Julie Kawahara

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May 14, 2021, 7:44:56 PM5/14/21
to Bev Alexander, Paul Larkin, Earth Action Campaign, Emerald
Whole Foods carries Ripple.


Julie Kawahara
Pronouns:  She/her/hers 

Kawahara & Associates




Emerald

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May 15, 2021, 6:43:30 AM5/15/21
to Julie Kawahara, Bev Alexander, Paul Larkin, Earth Action Campaign, Emerald
Thank you all for these comments!  Yes, Bev, I neglected to mention soy milk.  Thank you for pointing that out.  I will be sure to include soy in future posts. 
Many women find soy products to be medicinal because they increase estrogen.  However, too much of this phytoestrogen in men can cause fertility problems.  
Many people cannot tolerate soy products.  People who grow up consuming soy from childhood typically do well on soy.  People who did not grow up on soy products and started consuming them in adulthood, or even as a teen, sometimes have terrible problems with soy.  Soy is not good for anyone with thyroid issues except miso and tempeh because they are fermented.  People who have compromised health of any kind tend to have problems with soy.  It's not exactly an allergy, but the intolerance can feel like a food allergy.
Paul and Julie, thank you for mentioning Ripple.  I haven't checked it out but I have seen it at Whole Foods.
The commercial milk that I used to get regularly was So Delicious brand unsweetened coconut milk.  It has a nice thickness, pleasant mild flavor, and works well in hot tea.  It doesn't have some of the worst additives, it's organic, and it has no sugar.  It's also inexpensive at around $2 per quart.  I stopped using that one too because of the packaging and I took another step towards a cleaner diet.
There is a delicious new almond milk called New Barn.  It's local, organic, comes unsweetened, has very few ingredients, and the packaging is not too bad.  It is a bit expensive though at around $5 per quart.  Community Market and Oliver's carry it.
Another new product is Rebbl Keto Vanilla Almond milk, which is really expensive at $5 for a small bottle, but the keto one is high protein, has zero sugars, no additives, it's organic, the packaging is all recycled post-consumer waste, and it's delicious in coffee.
Most of the time I make either oat milk or almond milk homemade.  They have two ingredients including the water and the price is the best too.

What other non-dairy products do you like?

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice.

https://OccupySonomaCounty.org
 (en español)

Occupy Sonoma County embraces the egalitarian, deep democracy principles of the Occupy Movement with a regional strategy for effectively organizing countywide social justice campaigns that are globally relevant.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/osc_earth-action/D42379B4-139F-4DCD-B0A0-EEC4A50640CE%40gmail.com.

lois

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May 15, 2021, 11:17:49 AM5/15/21
to Julie Kawahara, Bev Alexander, Paul Larkin, Earth Action Campaign, Emerald
Why are you shopping at Whole Paycheck?
It is owned by Amazon
There are so many locally-owned choices — Community Market, Andy’s, Oliver’s  
Lois Pearlmn

lois

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May 15, 2021, 11:34:28 AM5/15/21
to Julie Kawahara, Bev Alexander, Paul Larkin, Earth Action Campaign, Emerald
One way to reduce your carbon footprint is to buy locally produced products at locally owned stores.
That means less trucking and less pollution
My guess is that eating eggs you purchased from a farmer, or even Clover, means less carbon emissions than soy milk from halfway around the country
Lois Pearlman

Bev Alexander

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May 15, 2021, 11:40:16 AM5/15/21
to Emerald, Earth Action Campaign, Julie Kawahara, Paul Larkin
Thank you, Emerald, for the explanation about soy. I have read articles that said soy was a bad thing, but the ones I read did not make sense - they were often critical of all beans as well. It makes sense that soy does not agree with some people or the phytoestrogens may have undesirable effects for some. Growing up in a New York Jewish family, I don’t think I was exposed much to soy, except possibly at Chinese restaurants 😄, but I have never noticed any ill effects. 

Anyway, I will check out Ripple! And maybe some others. I mostly use non-dairy milks for making yogurt, which is why I look for the ones with higher amounts of protein. Thanks, all.

😊
Bev 🌿

Bev Alexander

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May 15, 2021, 11:42:59 AM5/15/21
to lois, Earth Action Campaign
Lois, I have been begging Community Market for years to open a store in Petaluma. And there are many here in Petaluma who have also been wanting an Oliver‘s. 😉

Steve Bhaerman

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May 15, 2021, 12:29:24 PM5/15/21
to Bev Alexander, Emerald, Earth Action Campaign, Julie Kawahara, Paul Larkin
Beware of the fake food campaign disguised as a vegan solution.  Animals -- treated well -- are part of our natural heritage.  Factory farming and feed lots have distorted this relationship, but the "impossible burger" isn't the answer.  Another GMO scam.

Steve Bhaerman

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/osc_earth-action/CACxA7i9AFLcnTPNAsxoqHu8rhMpG76tvZ0oZqC%2BShhRc8ae7ig%40mail.gmail.com.

Emerald

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May 16, 2021, 7:44:01 AM5/16/21
to Earth Action Campaign, Bev Alexander, Lois Pearlman, Steve Bhaerman / Wiki Politiki
Thank you Bev, Lois, and Steve for your comments and suggestions.
Thank you for the comments about eating local, more humanely raised animal products.
Impossible Burger is indeed "another GMO scam".  This is another product that comes to us from Bill Gates.  A better choice for plant-based burgers is Amy's which is local and a much better company. 
Community Market, Andy's and Oliver's are definitely better choices for our local sustainable economy and their produce is far better for quality and buying local.  Whole Foods, Sprouts and also Bargain Outlet carry things that other stores don't carry and their prices are considerably cheaper.  Sometimes we might need something and the only store open is Safeway.  Let's support our local stores as much as we can, and also understand that saving money often takes priority.   
The May Meat Challenge includes:
• looking into the carbon sequestration practices of the ranchers and farmers raising your animal products if they are part of your diet
• buying local to avoid the GHG impact of shipping
• consider the impact of the packaging
• eat organic, whole foods that are 80-100% plant-based

What other non-dairy products do you like?

https://OccupySonomaCounty.org
 (en español)

Occupy Sonoma County embraces the egalitarian, deep democracy principles of the Occupy Movement with a regional strategy for effectively organizing countywide social justice campaigns that are globally relevant.

lois

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May 16, 2021, 7:39:21 PM5/16/21
to Emerald, Earth Action Campaign, Bev Alexander, Steve Bhaerman / Wiki Politiki
I have never found Whole Foods to be cheaper than places like Andy’s. 
If you are looking for quality organic products at lower prices, and don’t mind chain stores, I recommend Trader Joe’s
Lois
From: <osc_eart...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Emerald <Eme...@occupysonomacounty.org>
Date: Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 4:43 AM
To: Earth Action Campaign <osc_eart...@googlegroups.com>
Cc: Bev Alexander <smil...@gmail.com>, home <lo...@sonic.net>, Steve Bhaerman / Wiki Politiki <swa...@gmail.com>
Subject: [OSC Earth Action] Re: May Meat Challenge Information: GHG IMPACT OF 5 KINDS OF MILK
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Emerald

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May 16, 2021, 8:21:51 PM5/16/21
to lois, Emerald, Earth Action Campaign, Bev Alexander, Steve Bhaerman / Wiki Politiki
Dear Lois;
Thank you for reminding me that I didn't include Trader Joe's in my list of stores that carry non-dairy and organic products at a cheaper price.  I don't shop there any more for several reasons.  They are on par with Whole Foods as far as bad corporations go.  They are owned by an old parent company in Germany with ties to the Nazi party.  I stopped shopping there because I don't trust their quality.  I never buy Whole Foods brand items or Trader Joe's brand items because I don't trust them with my food.  Trader Joe's ships everything out from one warehouse so their produce isn't fresh and things like nuts are usually stale.  They have some store brand products that I recognize such as their sprouted bread is all made by Alvarado Bakery and their non-dairy milk is made by Imagine which was one the first organic products that was bought out by Monsanto 25 years ago.  Trader Joe's is a real mixed bag but you're right that is it cheaper for many things.
Whole Foods prices did not go up when other stores' prices did.  Little by little they started being cheaper than Olivers and Community Market.  When Jeff Bezos bought Whole Foods prices started going down.  Sprouts, Bargain Outlet, and Trader Joe's are still cheaper than Whole Foods, but Whole Foods is considerably cheaper than Olivers and Community Market.  I do compare prices and shop accordingly.  There are some items that I am willing to pay more for because of the quality, and those are the items that I get at Oliver's and Community Market.  When an item is a similar price and quality I prefer to support our local, worker-owned stores. 
Love,
Emerald 

https://OccupySonomaCounty.org
 (en español)

Occupy Sonoma County embraces the egalitarian, deep democracy principles of the Occupy Movement with a regional strategy for effectively organizing countywide social justice campaigns that are globally relevant.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/osc_earth-action/DCC6FAA6.4D605%25lois5%40sonic.net.
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