Eat Green, Eat Global, but Don't Eat Meat

An audit of greenhouse gas emissions shows that transportation isn't a significant part of the food production greenhouse gas equation. Red meat is the biggest source by far of food-related greenhouse gas production.

Environmentally savvy shoppers may want to take note.

"It seems much easier to shift one day of my beef consumption a week to chicken or vegetables, than going through and eating only Jerusalem artichokes for three months in the winter," says Weber, a "vegetarian bordering on vegan."

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Final delivery "food-miles" make up just 1% of the greenhouse emissions of red meat, and 11% for fruits and vegetables.

To drive his point home, Weber calculated that a completely local diet would reduce a household's greenhouse emissions by an amount equivalent to driving a car 1600 km fewer per year. He assumed the car travels 10.6 km per litre of petrol (25 mpg). Switching from red meat to veggies just one day per week would spare 1860 km of driving.

"The differences between eating habits are very, very striking," Weber says.