Taking action to tackle climate change is an enormous challenge, but the good news is - we can all do our bit to help.

Did you know that the production and consumption of animal products is one of the leading causes of climate change? Here are just five of the way’s animal agriculture contributes to the current climate crisis:

1) Around 150 billion animals are slaughtered every year for food, and huge quantities of land and water are needed to produce their food. (1)

2) Billions of these animals spend their short lives on factory farms where they never go outside. Factory farms release large amounts of dangerous gases like methane into the atmosphere – methane is 70 times more damaging than CO2! (2)

3) The rapid growth of animal agriculture is also the leading cause of deforestation. 26% of the planet’s (ice-free) land is used for grazing livestock. (3)

4) 70% of the Amazon rainforest has already been destroyed in order to make space for crops that are specifically used to feed livestock (mainly soybeans). (4)

5) Animal agriculture is also the leading cause of species extinction, ocean dead zones, water pollution and habitat destruction. (5)

We can all do our bit to tackle climate change, and one of the most important actions you can take is reducing your consumption of animal products, and opting for plant-based alternatives.

With our campaign Make Food Kinder, we are working to increase plant-based options in public institutions, but we can all do our bit at home too. 

By swapping meat and dairy for plant-based alternatives, in your baking or your evening meals - there are lots of simple swaps available - you can help gradually reduce animal-products.

We have launched the FOUR PAWS UK #PlantBasedChallenge to help inspire you and have created some delicious and nutritious plant-based recipes and tips! While many of us #StayatHome during these uncertain times, we wanted to help give you a chance to give something back to the environment and animals. You can find out more about how to get involved here and see how many challenges you can complete! Don’t forget to share your attempts with us using #PlantBasedChallenge and tagging us (@FOURPAWSUK) on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Our first instalment shows you how to make a delicious vegan cake, did you know it’s as easy as replacing eggs with bananas, and butter with vegan margarine?

Small changes can make a big impact! By working together, we can be kinder to animals, the planet and our health.