Beef or grasshopper hamburgers: The ecological implications of choosing one over the other

Both the means by which we produce our food and our eating habits influence some of the most important environmental problems of our planet. The most exploited livestock for the past 50 years has been cattle, which are fed primarily on maize to increase production. However, this combination of maize and cattle is inefficient in ecological terms. Producing and consuming proteins from animals with more efficient biomass and energy conversions could help to solve certain environmental problems. For instance, insects that are considered pests in agricultural systems - including, specifically, the Orthoptera species - may be excellent candidates as protein sources. This work analyses the feed conversion ratio (FCR) of the three types of livestock that are most widely bred worldwide: cattle, pigs, and poultry. It then compares these results with those of potential minilivestock from the Orthoptera species that are more abundant in agroecosystems. Based on the calculated FCRs (cow:pork:poultry:grasshopper pests and insects grown on farms; 10:6:2:4:1.7), we project that reducing beef production by half could significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions and the maize sowing hectares destined for feed (2.1-2.9 × 107 ha), while simultaneously releasing maize for human consumption. Additionally, consuming insect-based protein could reduce pollution problems by decreasing insecticide use (by at least 7 × 107 l). Though a comprehensive solution to current environmental problems (e.g. global warming), will require coordinated global effort (e.g. to replace fossil fuels), there is one way that everyone can contribute: eating grasshopper burgers instead of beef burgers.