There are so many good reasons to make the switch to Wallaby. Nutritionally, wallaby is high in protein and low in fat, which supports your body providing you with 65% of your daily protein needs in one serve. Wallaby meat also contains long chain omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, which helps to keep your body heathy in numerous ways.
But in case you needed another great reason, by choosing to make the switch to wallaby, you are helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions… how?
Methane (CH4) accounts for 30% of global warming worldwide. According to the Global Methane Assessment published in 2021, methane emissions from livestock (including cattle) are the largest sources of agricultural emissions worldwide.
Wallabies on the other hand, are not only natural to Tasmania, (meaning a lower environmental impact) but emit a very low methane level according to the Journal of Animal Science, article Methane production by red-necked wallabies (Macropus rufogriseus) which explains the experiment and how they determined their findings.
Fun Fact: In case you were wondering humans as a species, contribute roughly 73 metric tons of Methane per day and even Vegans aren’t safe, with recent research determining, plant based diets, result in an average of 7 more farts per day… no one light a candle….
So, what is methane and how does it impact climate change?
Methane is a colorless, odorless, gas known as CH4 and comprises of carbon and hydrogen. Methane is the main contributor to ground level ozone (troposphere ozone; ground level and up to 15km) and is a hazardous air pollutant, greenhouse gas which has been estimated to cause 1 million premature deaths per year due to exposure. Tropospheric ozone is a short-lived climate pollutant with an atmospheric lifetime of hours to weeks. It does not have any direct emissions sources, rather it is a secondary gas formed by the interaction of sunlight with hydrocarbons, including methane and nitrogen oxides, which are emitted by vehicles, fossil fuel power plants, and other man-made sources. You can read more about it here.
Methane is a crucial component to global warming and more potent than carbon dioxide, with over 80 times the power and sets the warming pace for the near future. Methane, however, breaks down faster (10 years) than CO2 (hundreds of thousands of years), putting the choices we make now, in a better position to lower our methane output. Who knew ‘gas leaks’ could be this dangerous!
So next time you’re browsing the meat isle at your favorite supermarket, looking for that juicy, sweet, red meat goodness, grab yourself some Wallaby – the Pinot Wine of Red meat.
Need some recipe inspiration? View our recipes here: Wallaby Recipes
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