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[OC] Dairy vs. plant-based milk: what are the environmental impacts?
A growing number of people are interested in switching from dairy to plant-based alternatives. But are they better for the environment, and which is best? In the chart, we compare milks across a number of environmental metrics: land use, greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and eutrophication (the pollution of ecosystems with excess nutrients). These are compared per liter of milk. Cow’s milk has significantly higher impacts than plant-based alternatives across all metrics. It causes around three times as much greenhouse gas emissions; uses around ten times as much land; two to twenty times as much freshwater; and creates much higher levels of eutrophication. If you want to reduce the environmental footprint of your diet, switching to plant-based alternatives is a good option. Which of the vegan milks is best? It really depends on the impact we care most about. Almond milk has lower greenhouse gas emissions and uses less land than soy, for example, but requires more water and results in higher eutrophication. All of the alternatives have a lower impact than dairy, but there is no clear winner across all metrics. Read more in our article → Explore the interactive version of this chart → submitted by /u/ourworldindata to r/dataisbeautiful [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
ourworldindata |
Mar 2, 2026 |
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Oatly banned from using word ‘milk’ to market plant-based products in UK
submitted by /u/mettaforall to r/vegan [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
mettaforall |
Feb 11, 2026 |
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Oatly banned from using word ‘milk’ to market plant-based products in UK
submitted by /u/AudibleNod to r/news [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
AudibleNod |
Feb 11, 2026 |
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Oatly’s not allowed to call itself a plant-based “milk” in the UK anymore. CasualUK, do your thing. Whats a better word?
Fake internet prizes for the funniest! submitted by /u/smileylinzi to r/CasualUK [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
smileylinzi |
Feb 11, 2026 |
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Oatly banned from using word ‘milk’ to market plant-based products in UK
submitted by /u/pajamakitten to r/unitedkingdom [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
pajamakitten |
Feb 11, 2026 |
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Starbucks Matcha is NOT VEGAN (even with plant milks)
I reached out to Starbucks back in august to confirm their matcha drinks are vegan, just because I am paranoid, and they confirmed it’s actually not vegan?! I just thought of sharing this info now as I see a lot of sources online saying it is vegan . submitted by /u/lostmooseinbrzl to r/vegan [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
lostmooseinbrzl |
Feb 4, 2026 |
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9 good things for animals in 2025: fur farming banned in Poland, cage-free egg trend, pet sale bans, Switzerland's abusive practices disclosure, alternatives to killing of male chicks, reduced animal testing, plant-based milk alternatives, shrimp welfare, chickens with fewer health problems
submitted by /u/sg_plumber to r/UpliftingNews [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
sg_plumber |
Dec 31, 2025 |
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Senate Finally OKs Plant-Based Milk in Public Schools
submitted by /u/James_Fortis to r/UpliftingNews [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
James_Fortis |
Dec 10, 2025 |
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Plant based milks shouldn’t be called milks
I get that it probably came from the notion that they’re substitutes for people who cannot or do not want to drink cow’s milk. But why do we still call it milk? By definition, it is not milk as it does not come from a mammal. I don’t know where I heard it- but soy doesn’t have udders, so it shouldn’t be milk. submitted by /u/Successful-Shopping8 to r/unpopularopinion [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
Successful-Shopping8 |
Jul 13, 2025 |
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Oat milk rises to top as Britain's preferred plant-based drink
submitted by /u/topotaul to r/unitedkingdom [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
topotaul |
Apr 19, 2025 |
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A new study of plant-based drinks reveals they are lacking in proteins and essential amino acids compared to cow’s milk. The explanation lies in their extensive processing, causing chemical reactions that degrade protein quality in the product and, in some cases, produce new substances of concern.
submitted by /u/mvea to r/science [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
mvea |
Dec 16, 2024 |
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Research shows 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%
submitted by /u/Wagamaga to r/science [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
Wagamaga |
Oct 27, 2023 |
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My partner says they’re uncomfortable with me because I’m not on a plant based diet after a year of dating.
My partner randomly decided that they’re uncomfortable with me because I eat eggs and dairy. They’ve gone completely vegan in the past month or so. I’ve been vegetarian for 7 years now, but that’s not enough I guess. They say being with me would make them a hypocrite. They’re thinking of leaving. I’m more pissed than anything. I spent a year with them and now they’re thinking of leaving cause I like milk! I thought about marrying them even. And now they’re choosing a fucking cow over me! Feels selfish to me. Is it wrong that I’m mad? What do I do? Any advice is welcomed. Im kinda at a loss for words currently. My fucking partner chose a cow over me. Edit: For those of you calling me a horrible person and cow rapist after I literally just got broken up with, geez thanks! I can’t afford to go vegan and i don’t think it’s healthy for me. You don’t have to DM me to tell me to off myself like several people did. submitted by /u/IllustriousMousse319 to r/LifeAdvice [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
IllustriousMousse319 |
Oct 10, 2023 |
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Environmental footprints of dairy and plant-based milks
submitted by /u/VarunTossa5944 to r/Anticonsumption [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
VarunTossa5944 |
Aug 24, 2023 |
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In a nutritional comparison of plant-based and dairy yogurts, almond milk yogurt came out on top: “almond yogurt has a significantly higher nutrient density than dairy yogurt and all other plant-based yogurts”
submitted by /u/giuliomagnifico to r/science [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
giuliomagnifico |
May 28, 2023 |
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How single-celled yeasts are doing the work of 1,500-pound cows: Cowless dairy is here, with the potential to shake up the future of animal dairy and plant-based milks
submitted by /u/ElectrikDonuts to r/UpliftingNews [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
ElectrikDonuts |
Mar 20, 2023 |
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How single-celled yeasts are doing the work of 1,500-pound cows: Cowless dairy is here, with the potential to shake up the future of animal dairy and plant-based milks
submitted by /u/eddytony96 to r/technology [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
eddytony96 |
Mar 20, 2023 |
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UK activists pouring milk in Supermarket to stop Oil & Gas and to have a PlantBasedFuture
submitted by /u/ADHD_MAN to r/facepalm [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
ADHD_MAN |
Oct 17, 2022 |
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UK Vegan activists who want a plant-based future are doing milk dumps at the grocery store.
submitted by /u/lotsofcheesepls to r/iamatotalpieceofshit [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
lotsofcheesepls |
Oct 16, 2022 |
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Plant-Based Meat Will Be Cheaper Than Animal Meat Sooner Than You Think | VegNews
submitted by /u/Adventurous_Bet6849 to r/UpliftingNews [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
Adventurous_Bet6849 |
Feb 5, 2022 |
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Adopting a plant-based diet can help shrink a person’s carbon footprint. However, improving efficiency of livestock production will be a more effective strategy for reducing emissions, as advances in farming have made it possible to produce meat, eggs and milk with a smaller methane footprint.
submitted by /u/rustoo to r/science [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
rustoo |
May 28, 2021 |
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Burger King: New plant-based burger 'not for vegans' | The burgers used are vegan, but cooked on the same grill as meat burgers. Also served with mayonnaise unless the customer requests otherwise.
submitted by /u/questingthebeast to r/savedyouaclick [link] [comments]
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reddit.com |
questingthebeast |
Jan 7, 2020 |