A third of Brits (32 per cent) are actively trying to eat less meat to reduce their carbon footprint – but just 13 per cent
A poll of 2,000 adults found that 53 per cent consider butter a key part of their diet, with the average Brit consuming it seven times in a typical week.
Nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of those who insist on sticking to regular, dairy-based butter, rather than a plant-based alternative, say this is simply because they prefer the taste – despite the environmental impact.
And Brits would sooner ditch meat – such as beef, pork, turkey, or lamb – as well as cut back on driving, water usage, and buy fewer clothes, before they reduce their dairy intake.
But plant-based butter alternative, Flora Plant, which commissioned the research, revealed that dairy cattle globally contribute the methane equivalent of 3.1 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year.
And as part of its Skip the Cow campaign, Flora Plant – which has 75 per cent less climate impact than dairy butter – also commissioned three life-sized cow sculptures, to raise awareness of the harmful impact of dairy.
The cow installations were made by artist Ptolemy Elrington, using recycled materials including old car parts, water fixtures, and fast fashion.
The sculptures use half a tonne of these scrapped materials, and took 240 hours to pull together.
And they have been placed in locations across London, Aberdeen, and Newcastle, as these are cities which consume the most dairy butter each week.
Perran Harvey, senior global sustainability lead for the plant-based alternative, said: “Given our research shows 63 per cent of people believe more needs to be done to raise awareness of the impact dairy production has on the environment, we are here to show people there is a really easy way to reduce your environmental impact.
“We’ve got no issues with dairy cows, we love cows – but the hard truth is that industrial animal agriculture is harmful to our planet.
“Livestock farming is responsible for at least 14.5 per cent of the world’s annual greenhouse gas emissions, and therefore we urgently need to reduce the overreliance on dairy in order to tackle climate change.”
It emerged from the research that, while 65 per cent are concerned about the impact of food production, just 35 per cent would actually consider giving up certain foods because of their environmental impact.
And of these, it’s meat which would be quicker to go than dairy – with beef, pork, lamb, turkey, shrimps, and prawns all at risk of being ditched because of their negative impact, before a single dairy product.
When asked about what plant-based products they consume regularly, oat and almond milk are the most popular items shoppers are turning to, while 16 per cent are having dairy-free spreads every few weeks.
More than four in ten (42 per cent) are doing so because they believe it to be better for their health, and 36 per cent because of the environmental impact.
To encourage more to make the switch, 63 per cent of those polled, via OnePoll, believe more needs to be done to raise awareness about the environmental impact of dairy farming.
Zero-waste artist Ptolemy Elrington added: “23 years ago I decided that my sculptures would be exclusively made of recycled and second-hand materials, as I wanted to use art as a vehicle to get people to consider their ethical and environmental responsibilities.
“Right now, the most pressing global issue is climate change – therefore it is all of our responsibilities to make people sit up and listen to the ways they can make a difference, by using art as well as news and action.
“I am proud to team up with Flora Plant on their purpose to create a better planet for us and the next generations to live, breathe, and prosper in.”
The herd of cow sculptures were unveiled this morning at Riverside Grass on London’s Southbank, Newcastle’s Northumberland Street, and Aberdeen’s Hazlehead Park, where they will be on display until June 1, with additional information on how dairy butter-loving locals can reduce their dairy-based emissions.
