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DCL
Problem:
You're trying to cut back on the amount of dairy and meat products in your diet; I can't say that I blame you. The ways in which dairy and meat products affect our environment negatively are mounting. The typical dairy farm (5,000 heads) produces as much waste as a town of about 100,000 people. The difference here is that people have sophisticated and clean ways of handling their waste and manure from cows ends up in our rivers instead.
Fish and other aquatic life have been known to decrease rapidly in areas where dairy farms are near by. Researchers are saying that a single cow can produce 100-200 liters of methane a day. Multiply that by 5,000 and you can start to see how easily the pollution can pile up. Methane gas, by the way, is 25 times more harmful as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
However, cutting out all of your meat and dairy can be tough. More than being tough, it can mean changing a lot of the things you would regularly consume.
Small, Everyday Solution:
One thing I have always loved is Soy Chai Tea Latte. I started trying to find this tea without dairy and with organic ingredients. Unfortunately, it's harder than it should be to find this tea this way so my suggestion is just to make it. Here's a simple recipe I know you'll be happy with.
How to Make Your Own Soy Chai Tea Latte:
Brew your favorite chai tea (from a bag is fine) and add in some splashes of warm chocolate and vanilla soymilk and organic maple syrup. Pour into mugs and add cinnamon sprinkles and nutmeg.
This only takes about 5 minutes and it's definitely the most eco-friendly way to drink a Chai Tea Latte that I can think of.
Enjoy!