Plant Based Milk

Is it more environmentally sustainable than cow's milk with regards to water use?

According to “experts” cow milk has a higher environmental impact than plant based milk.¹ In this article I will be asking a few questions about the logistics regarding this claim. I will also bring to your attention information which counters these claims.

The following chart was found in an article which claims that cows milk has a higher environmental impact compared with plant based substitutes (see footnotes):

The article was written based on Science™ , if I wanted to investigate the claims more thoroughly I would need to get an account, and I would need to belong to an institution. I tried to register an account, but since I don’t belong to any of the institutions, I am not able to access the material written to back up their claims.

Therefore I can only speculate on how they have come to this conclusion and ask questions.

Thoughts and questions about the chart:

1. not all land is suitable for growing crops for plant based milk, some land is actually best suited for raising cattle

2. How long does it take to grow an almond, then how many are needed to make a glass of almond milk? With cow’s milk there is fluid available everyday, I don’t have to wait for a plant to sprout and mature, the fluid is just there every morning.

3. Do they account for cattle being raised on pastures where the water used is considered green water?

Now, I am going to bring your attention to a research group which makes their material accessable to the public unlike the research above, which is promoting plant based milk.

The article I am using to counter the notion that plant based milk is more environmentally responsible is titled: Livestock and water wastage: three arguments for more nuance.² This article is regarding meat and not milk, however these arguments should also stand to counter the claims made above.

I recommend that you go to the website to review the information for yourself (see footnotes). I know you are a busy person — I need to keep this article short — I will not be getting into the nitty gritty here. ³

Briefly the 3 arguments which counter water wastage are the following:

1. Most water in animal agriculture comes from rainfall

2. The need for extracted water is situational

3. Wastage can be higher for crops if nutritional value is accounted for

I still don’t know if the math here is sound, but I highly doubt the math coming from Science™ is

So what do you think?

I am going to be sticking with the food that is most easily grown where I live. I live in a rocky part of the world with many grasslands. It rains quite a bit where I live. Food sovereignty requires eating the foods that are easily grown by local farmers. For this reason I will not be consuming any plant based milks.

Which milk has the smallest impact on the planet?

1.

Livestock and water wastage: three arguments for more nuance

2.

3. This is only on the topic of water and not land use or methane. To write about all of these issues would require a much longer article. But if they are not able to get the water situation correct, then I don’t see why we should take any of their other claims seriously. Maybe I will write about land use and methane in another article in the future.