The Planet Well-Bean

Beans, beans, the magical fruit. The more you eat, the more you… clean up the environment?

This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.

Turns out, legumes like beans and peas aren’t JUST good for your heart!

Researchers from Loma Linda University are tooting about how farty beans can save the climate! Turns out, flatulence from people is nothing compared to burps from cattle. That’s because when cows pass gas, they’re emitting tons of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

Not only that, raising cattle itself is a high-polluting industry. Growing beans uses less resources.

So what if Americans start eating beans instead of burgers? Researchers calculated the carbon footprints of cattle versus beans. And?

Just by replacing beef with beans, the U. S. could achieve over HALF of its goals in reducing greenhouse gas by year twenty-twenty! And that’s without adding more restrictions on cars or manufacturing.

In other words, simple changes in our eating habits can have a HUGE impact on the environment.

So, toot away, old bean! I think global warming is the only real silent-but-deadly here.