Your burger is leaving more than crumbs behind — it's also leaving a hoofprint. Researchers have mapped how meat consumption across U.S. cities is contributing to global overheating, and the results show one clear culprit.

What's happening?

University of Michigan and University of Minnesota scientists revealed a surprising new way to measure how much our diets contribute to global heating — and it's called the "carbon hoofprint." The study, published in Nature Climate Change, calculated the planet-warming pollution tied to raising and eating beef, pork, and chicken across more than 3,000 towns and cities.

The results revealed striking differences from place to place. For example, eating beef in Milwaukee — where meat often comes from nearby dairy cows — produces less pollution than eating the same steak in Oklahoma City, where beef typically originates from methane-heavy feedlots. In total, the researchers found that beef accounts for roughly 73% of every city's meat-related pollution, making it, as co-author Ben Goldstein put it, "the main culprit."

Why are our dinner choices important?

Our food choices are quietly shaping the planet's future — and our own health. Meat production, and especially beef production, releases enormous amounts of methane and other heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere while consuming huge amounts of resources such as land and water. The pollution linked to U.S. meat consumption alone is comparable to that of entire countries.

But the study also underscores how local food systems can change the equation. Cities that source beef from feedlots or faraway suppliers tend to have much larger hoofprints than those that rely on local or dairy-based beef. These insights could help decision makers and consumers alike make smarter choices about how — and where — their food is produced.

As Joshua Newell, another study author, explained, the goal is to bring food into the sustainability conversation: "Understanding the hoofprint helps cities see where they can make meaningful cuts."

What's being done about this?

The good news: Even small changes can shrink that hoofprint fast. The researchers estimate that swapping half of one's beef consumption for chicken can reduce meat-related pollution by 33%, while adding meatless Mondays and cutting food waste in half could slash pollution by more than 50%.

Cattle producers are also taking note. Efforts to improve grazing and feed management are already reducing pollution intensity, according to the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

For anyone looking to make an impact right now, experts say the simplest step is to rethink the weekly menu. "The average American eats five servings of beef a week," Goldstein noted. "You can still have two burgers — and cut your footprint in half."

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