Subscribe now

Environment

Students ate less meat for three years after a talk on climate impact

In a randomised trial, students who listened to a single 50-minute talk on the health and climate impacts of meat ate 9 per cent fewer meat-based meals over the next three years

By Michael Le Page

2 March 2023

Eating meat, especially beef, is a big contributor to climate change

brent Hofacker/iStockphoto/Get​ty Images

The production of meat is a major contributor to global warming and eating less of it is better for your health. Simply telling people about this can lead to a reduction in their meat consumption, with the effect lasting at least three years, a study has found.

Andrew Jalil at Occidental College in Los Angeles and his colleagues recruited 213 students at a US university with an average age of 19 and randomly divided them into two groups.…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox! We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

View introductory offers

No commitment, cancel anytime*

Offer ends 2nd of July 2024.

*Cancel anytime within 14 days of payment to receive a refund on unserved issues.

Inclusive of applicable taxes (VAT)

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account