By Rasmus Soerensen of American Seafoods
Our society can overcomplicate things. Even though we have the right intent, many of us can get caught up in details and overlook simple, yet key points. After all, the value of simplicity is often overlooked itself. My general rule for success is to keep things simple but always understand the data.
Of course, simplicity is a word that no one would attach to our world’s food supply chain. We know that the environmental impact of growing food can be severe, especially through industrial farming methods.
So when thinking about how to solve these challenges, I tend to revert back to one simple line: “Fish don’t fart!”
As disgusting as that may seem, it’s true. A significant amount of our greenhouse gas emissions are due to farts, burps and the like from cattle – the traditional go-to protein. These gases generate approximately 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions annually, according to Reuters.
This output happens because digestion and waste from the beef industry produce methane, which then traps heat in the atmosphere for at least 20 years. For perspective, the cattle industry’s emissions are triple the amount of oil sector emissions in recent years – oil typically being the big bad wolf of climate change.
At the end of the day, the emissions from cows are hurting our planet. Beef can be a delicious protein, but we need to think about diversifying the global food supply chain, so we can sustainably feed the planet.
With the exception of a couple of species like herring and sand sharks, fish don’t pass gas. However, the benefits of fish as a sustainable protein compared to beef go well beyond the smell. As long as we are talking about the right fish.
For example, Alaska pollock sourcing has a fraction of the carbon footprint compared to the farming and distribution of beef. Especially when you take freshwater usage into account.
Freshwater is becoming a scarce resource. At our current consumption rate, by 2025 two-thirds of the world’s population is expected to face shortages, according to the World Wildlife Fund. The Alaska pollock industry makes freshwater onboard our boats, which enables us to leave zero impact on this precious resource.
Frozen-at-sea wild Alaska pollock requires zero gallons of freshwater to produce 3.5 oz. of food. In contrast, it takes more than 750 gallons to produce the same amount of beef. Overall, every pound of pollock product accounts for roughly 2.2-2.3 lbs. of CO2-e, while 1 lb. of beef accounts for 130 pounds of CO2-e in the atmosphere. For further perspective, beef burgers produce more than 200 lbs. CO2-e compared to 1.8 lbs. for pollock fish sandwiches.
It’s not just the beef industry that pollock compare favorably to, as chickens are responsible for about four times more CO2-e. Although not as bad as the main culprits for our methane problem, the cows, chicken still pass gas. I’d be remiss to not also mention that pollock products even stack up favorably to “fartless foods,” as they contribute less CO2-e than tofu.
These are yet more reasons consumers should consider eating more fish.
Now, I’d be lying if I said I think that pollock and fish can replace the entire beef industry, let alone be our only source of protein. Food supply chain diversity is essential. If we halted beef consumption entirely and only ate pollock, there wouldn’t be enough pollock to feed our world. In order to preserve our planet, our global population cannot overconsume one species.
But people can and should incorporate more fish into their diets. May I suggest occasionally substituting a delicious, meaty pollock sandwich for that steak? Not only will it be better for your health, but also the planet … and our noses.
Eat more fish! Because fish don’t fart!
