One BBQ causes as much pollution as a 60-mile car journey
As you're enjoying your flame-grilled dinner tonight, stop and think how your summer BBQ could be damaging the environment.
A typical barbecue releases as much greenhouse gases into the atmosphere as a 60-mile car journey, according to a group of scientists studying the impact of food choices on the environment.
Typical barbecue = 5800 gCO2e
- 1/8 of 1kg bag of charcoal-Two bread rolls-Two tbsp butter- Two burgers (200g)- Two slices of cheese- One medium tomato (in season)- Two tbsp tomato ketchup- Handful of strawberries- Two tbsp of cream
A team of scientists from across the UK, led by the University of Manchester, has come together to shine a spotlight on how consumer decisions on diet, as well as new technologies, could help reduce global warming.
It follows an announcement by Prime Minister Teresa May that the government will commit to cutting greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) to ‘net zero’ by 2050.
Lead scientist Professor Sarah Bridle, said: “Food contributes over 20% of all greenhouse gas emissions. As the barbecue season gets underway, people might like some food for thought about the impact of their choices on the environment.
“Did you know for example that a 100g medium-sized beef burger releases enough greenhouses gases to fill more than 60 balloons? That’s equivalent to driving about 15 miles in a car. By switching to chicken you could reduce that to less than 15 balloons.
“Did you know that a portion of strawberries would release enough greenhouse gases to fill about five balloons, but this would rise to about 10 balloons on adding two tablespoons of cream, or to over 20 balloons if flown in out of season? And each bottle of beer causes emissions equivalent to about 10 balloons full of greenhouse gases.
“By making a few small changes to our diets such as swapping beef for chicken or a vegetarian alternative, a fizzy drink to tap water, a cheese sandwich to a peanut butter sandwich, or a fry-up breakfast to porridge we can make a significant impact.”
The group of scientists has calculated that a typical barbecue would release the equivalent of about 225 balloons of carbon dioxide per person, equivalent to each person driving 60 miles; whereas a lower emissions barbecue - where beef burgers were replaced with chicken - would emit approximately 125 balloons of greenhouse gases.
Lower emissions barbecue = 3200 gCO2e
- 1/8 of 1kg bag of charcoal- Two bread rolls- Two tbsp butter- Two small chicken breasts (200g)- Two slices of cheese- One medium tomato (in season)-Two tbsp tomato ketchup-Handful of strawberries-Two tbsp cream
A vegan barbecue, where meat was replaced with vegan sausages, cheese was swapped for onion, butter was swapped with vegetable spread and cream was switched to sugar – would reduce the emissions again, causing the release of the equivalent of about 80 balloons of carbon dioxide for the whole meal, which corresponds to driving about 20 miles per person, and is less than half of the typical barbeque emissions.
Vegan barbecue = 2000 gCO2e
- 1/8 of 1kg bag of charcoal- Two bread rolls- Two tbsp vegetable spread- Two large veggie sausages (200g)- Half an onion- One medium tomato (in season)- Two tbsp tomato ketchup- Handful of strawberries- One tsp sugar