Given the UN’s warning that rearing cattle produces more greenhouse gases than driving cars, the most balanced diet for the Earth is a vegetarian one.

Convincing people to cut out meat-eating entirely may be more of a longterm goal, but in the meantime there is much room to reduce our consumption- every year, Americans eat 124.8 kgs (275 lbs) per person as compared to just 5.2 kgs (11 lbs) in India- and to switch to more sustainable meats.

In 2007, Greenpeace-sponsored report urged Australians to shift to “kangaroo meat and/or lower-meat diets” as a way to cut methane emissions since kangaroos, unlike cows and sheep, don’t emit any methane because of a special bacteria in their stomachs.

On a recent visit Down Under, faircompanies’ Kirsten Dirksen (who generally tries not to eat meat) tried a bit of roo.

We also have a video on grassfed cattle as a more eco-friendly beef.