Yogurt, climate change and you

Is your yogurt satisfying your emotional needs? And what has that got to do with climate change? I ask only because there was a fascinating programme on TV this week. You can watch again here and read an article in the Guardian. These reports demonstrate how our food industry has changed beyond recognition. The smorgasbord of yogurt types on the shelves is stunning and compares with the few pots of yesteryear - we now have plastic heavy corners with choco balls, low fat strawberry probiotics... and every flavor under the sun... a huge choice driven largely by the desire of canny global dairy corporations to access the UK market.

A key contributor to the programme - Felicity Lawrence - spoke of how these corporations have been brilliant at creating a greater demand for yogurt by making it satisfy our emotional needs - which are unlimited. Our physical needs are already saturated as shown by the current obesity epidemic. But emotion works - let the yogurt make you feel sexy, strong, happy, fit and healthy..

But what about the need for sustainable diets? What should we really be eating? That's the question too many are avoiding. Even the Committee on Climate Change (CCC)- the body set up by the Climate Change Act to ensure we deliver on emissions reductions - is coy about talking about what we eat. They recently launched their 4th Carbon Budget Report but didn't give much attention to the issue in their summary report or press work. Whilst we welcomed the CCC's acknowledgment that we need more radical measures to reduce emissions from agriculture they do need to give more attention to sustainable diets.

But it's not fair to just blame the poor old farmers and their cows - what about consumers?

They are surely eating too much yogurt, chicken burgers and ice cream? The evidence is overwhelming on just how much health and environmental damage the overconsumption of meat and dairy causes. But it's hard not to eat too much when it is so easy to get, makes you feel so good inside, and when you have no idea at all that it may have a major environmental impact.

The CCC report (a bit buried in chapter 7) does describe a range of measures the government should consider to tackle demand for high emission food. They are right. The Government needs to publicize the benefits of eating less but better meat, consider labelling, even food taxes, and should ensure industry can help consumers choose lower impact diets. It's not nanny statism - it's plain good sense: from an economic view point (we could save billions in health care costs by eating less but better eat and dairy); and an environmental one by boosting carbon capture pasture based farming systems and reducing demand for intensively fed animals which cause massive deforestation and climate change gas emissions.

How about a yogurt just once a week - but make it a luxurious one...