CYSF

Presentation

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Problem

Farming, specifically animals has a huge impact on the environment, just one pound of beef uses 2500 litres of water and releases 0.75 pounds of methane into the atmosphere. Animal agriculture is also responsible for 65% percent of Nitrous Oxide emissions, which is a gas 296 more potent than Carbon Dioxide.

Often we rely on animal products as protein whether that be dairy, eggs or meats, and while these can be amazing sources of protein they can have a huge impact on the environment. Through my project, I wanted to find a simple preexisting alternative to traditional animal-based proteins that would have a lesser impact on the environment. I also wanted to make these alternatives accessible to anyone no matter the dietary restrictions they may have. I wanted to show people that making sustainable choices in their daily lives doesn't have to be hard and I wanted to give them the information necessary to make these choices with protein.

To find this information I would answer the questions "What are the most sustainable plant, animal, and egg or dairy-based protein sources?" and "In the same categories, what are the most sustainable and popular proteins?"

Method

Phase 1

Through this project, I will research various protein sources to find the most sustainable overall. To evaluate each product's sustainability, I will apply various questions to it. Those questions are:

How much must be eaten to get 50 grams of protein? (Is it worth the time, resources, and effort to grow?)

How long does it take to grow or raise 50 grams of protein?

How much water does it take to grow/raise 50 grams of protein?

How long does it last? (How perishable is it?)

What is the cost?

All questions are applied to a 50-gram portion because that is the recommended daily protein intake recommended for adults (on average). Using these questions I can find out how much time, money, and energy goes into using this protein source. The types of protein will be organized into two categories animal and plant-based proteins. While this is not the main comparison it will help us understand which protein source is best within the two categories to account for dietary requirements or preferences. In the animal-based section, I will examine eggs, chicken breast, salmon, cow’s milk, cheddar cheese, greek yogurt, beef, and crickets. In the plants section, I will look at lentils, soybeans, peanuts, almonds, and walnuts.

Phase 2

After collecting the results from Phase 1 I will create a survey. Participants are given the protein sources listed in Phase 1 and are asked to rank them on a scale from 1-13 as there are 13 protein sources. A ranking of 1 is like saying "Yes I will definitely purchase this product" and a ranking of 13 is the same as ignoring or bee-lining past the product for dietary or other reasons. Using this ranking system, participants will be asked to rank protein sources based on their name, protein percentage, and both factors combined. The online survey is attached below.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdrg1vkfIh6jbM5MMjQuydxXaWrKUQx4o9E63Gd9rZa9ergCA/viewform?pli=1

Research

Phase 1

	How much must be eaten to get 50 grams of protein? (Is it worth the time, resources and effort to grow?) (grams)	How long does it take to grow or raise 50 grams of protein? (days)	How much water does it take to grow/raise 50 grams of protein? (litres)	How long does it last? (How perishable is it?)	What is Canada's average November 2023 cost for 50 grams of protein?	Approximate average ranking on a scale of 1-13. 1 being most likely to purchase and 13 being least likely.
Large chicken eggs	8 eggs = 448	134 for one chicken	36.85	3-5 weeks in the refrigerator	$3.10	4
chicken breast	172	42-84	31.5	2 days raw in the fridge	$2.43	4
salmon	250	1095	No information	2 days raw in the fridge	$4.84	8
cow’s milk	1388.9	730	146000	Stays fresh for 7 days in the fridge	$5.10	6
cheddar cheese	200	821	146000	After opening the package, 3-4 weeks in the fridge.	$2.76	4
Greek yogurt	625	731	146000	1-2 weeks	$4.00	6
beef	192	540	20441.22	3-5 days	$2.25 for ground beef	6
crickets	84	56-70	0.00786	No information	No information	8
Split red lentils	521	80-110	2.313	2-3 years dried	$2.30	7
soybeans	275	45-65	0.0901289	Fresh in the fridge for 1 week Dried for 10-12 months	No information	6
peanuts	333	144-174	145.36	6 months in the pantry	$2.78	6
almonds	375	1277	1437.08	6 months in the pantry	$8.59	6
walnuts	600	3650-4745	2139.0959	6 months in the pantry	No information	7

Phase 2

	Average likelihood to purchase based on protein names only. (scale from 1-13 1 being yes definitely and 13 being definitely not)	Average likelihood to purchase based on protein percentages only. (scale from 1-13 1 being yes definitely and 13 being definitely not)	Average likelihood to purchase based on protein names in combination with protein percentages. (scale from 1-13 1 being yes definitely and 13 being definitely not)
chicken breast	4.4	3.4	3.67
salmon	7.89	9.4	7.2

beef	7.1	3.78	6.89
crickets	10.4	3.4	10.78

Large chicken

eggs

3.4

5.67

3.89

cow’s milk

3.78

8.78

5.56

cheddar cheese	4	4.67	3.89
Greek yogurt	5.2	7.56	5.4

Split red lentils	7.78	6.56	8
soybeans	7.2	5.11	6.56
peanuts	6.2	5.3	6.67
almonds	6.8	5.67	6.11
walnuts	7.2	7	7

Data

-Overall crickets were the most sustainable animal-based protein source as they have the most protein and use only 0.00786 litres of water for one day's worth of protein (50g)

-The most sustainable egg or dairy-based protein was eggs as they can be grown in 134 days and with only 36.85 litres of water.

-The most sustainable plant-based protein source was soybeans as they have the most protein, can be replenished in just 65 days, and use 0.0901289 litres of water.

-The most sustainable and popular animal-based protein source was chicken breast with average rankings of 4.4, 3.4 and 3.67.

-The most sustainable and popular egg or dairy-based protein source is cheddar cheese with average rankings of 4, 4.67 and 3.89.

-The most sustainable and popular plant-based protein source is soybeans with average rankings of 7.2, 5.11, and 6.67.

Conclusion

-I ended up accurately predicting that overall crickets would be the most sustainable animal-based protein and that eggs would be the most sustainable egg or dairy-based protein while it turns out soybeans are the most sustainable plant-based protein.

-I predicted two out of three of the most popular and sustainable protein sources correctly which were chicken breast and peanuts. However, I was off on the third which was cheddar cheese.

-These protein sources are the future of protein and choosing them is not an option anymore. We need to change our habits for ourselves and our future generations.