Lean in to oat milk already

Plus: McDonald's makes modifications to the McFlurry

Hi! Less talk, more links in today’s edition of Garbage Soup as I have two sick children at home and can barely spell G-A-R-B-A-G-E. What have you been reading and thinking about? What are you noticing about the amount of food waste you produce? Or how many times a week do you take out your trash? Talk to me! xoxo, covered in baby boogers

Little (healthy) changes to your diet can can yugely reduce your carbon footprint

Go for the turkey burger over the beef burger. Drink some oat milk instead of cow’s milk. Do yourself and the planet some good.

A study out of Tulane found that “making simple substitutions like switching from beef to chicken or drinking plant-based milk instead of cow's milk could reduce the average American's carbon footprint from food by 35%, while also boosting diet quality by between 4-10%.”

I think these findings could have a pretty big impact on health-conscious people (also, I think more people would be willing to adjust their diets for their own health versus that of the planet, so this is a two birds/one stone situation).

Watch ‘Love and Climate,’ a speed-dating series for planet-conscious lovers

Awww, I wish my husband wanted to compost with me!!!!!! [The Guardian]

Foreign runners have to pay extra

From The Telegraph: “The London Marathon will charge a £26 ‘climate levy’ on all runners from abroad and use it to remove carbon from the atmosphere as part of plans to make the race Net Zero by 2030.”

Thoughts on this strategy?

A climate policy could help solve national debt crisis and China relations?

“Democrats want to address climate change. Republicans want to tackle our national debt. Both sides are concerned about China. There’s a way to deal with all three issues: putting a price on carbon.” [Politico]

McDonald’s will swap one plastic spoon for another in the name of our livelihood

bye bitch :(

The McFlurry’s spindly plastic spoon will be traded in for…. a black plastic spoon. This reminds me of the great Starbucks sippy cup swap of 2018. IDK, you’d think the inventor of the Hamburglar could do something a little more substantial, but we have to reward any inch of progress, I guess? Good….. job…. McDonny?

Biden announces plans to make low-income homes in the US more resilient to climate change

The administration is allotting $100 million in funding to increase the energy efficiencies of these homes, too, as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. This sounds good to me. [The Verge]

Israel’s food founders provide 6,000 vegan meals to IDF soldiers

Wild fact I didn’t know: Israel’s investment in alternative proteins accounts for 15% of the global total (surpassed only by the U.S. From Green Queen:

Running over a week, the campaign saw food tech startups, food producers and 100 volunteers and private chefs converge to serve vegan and flexitarian soldiers. “We created meal kits each consisting of 20 portions,” explains Lilach Edman, a vegan pasta chef who managed the kitchen. “Each portion was composed of a 150g protein dish, a portion of carbohydrate and fresh vegetables, plus a plant-based delicious treat. We made sure they contained all the food elements. The typical battle rations that normally come in cans can’t provide vegan soldiers with the sustenance they desperately need.”

The ‘Break Free From Plastic’ pollution act hits congress again

Just pass it already, wontcha????? [WasteDive]

And lastly, roosters may recognize themselves in the mirror

Enter clever cock joke here. [Science Daily]