We’re seeing a notable shift towards individuals wanting to reduce their carbon footprint by cutting down on their meat consumption. More than 11 per cent of Aussies consider themselves vegetarian now, up from 9.7 per cent in 2012.

If you’re toying with the idea of cutting out meat for May, or are already on the journey, we want to tell you why you should stick to it. The official #NoMeatMay campaign cites four reasons why you should take the challenge. We’ve taken a closer look at two of those reasons to calculate why you should cut, or at least reduce, meat on your plate even after May.

Save Our Planet

First stop: water waste. It takes about 9100 litres to produce half a kilo of steak according to PETA. This is an issue because the United Nations released a report in 2015 saying that the world will have only 60 per cent of the water it needs for the global population by 2030. #NoMeatMay says that plant-based diets use 15 times less meat than a non-vegetarian’s diet. By swapping out meat for a month, you’re making a difference greater than just a drop in the ocean.

It’s not just water that’s affected, our air is too. Agricultural farming produces an absurd amount of methane gas. 66 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural farming comes from our beefy friends burping and farting, and that gas is about 25x more potent than carbon dioxide. Australia actually has about 1 million more cows than it does people – so they’re kind of a big deal.

Improve Your Health

Eating your greens doesn’t just avoid childhood fights with mum about brussel sprouts. When you cut the meat, or at the least reduce it, your stir fries get more colourful, you eat less processed foods, and you end up putting more veggies on your plate when a roast dinner is served at your parent’s place.

McDonalds also has what might just be the most limited vegetarian range out of all of the fast-food chains. So because your order is pretty much limited to fries — or paying the same damn amount for a wrap even though you’ve asked for no chicken — you eat a whole lot less deep fried food.

So it’s no wonder that Harvard Medical School found that compared to meat eaters, vegetarians tend to consume less saturated fat and cholesterol, and instead have a higher intake of Vitamin C and E, folic acid, potassium and magnesium. Lower blood pressure and lower risk of obesity means vegetarians also have a reduced risk for many chronic diseases. More good stuff, less bad stuff. Who can complain?

But I Still Want To Eat Meat?

You can still have a really big impact on the environment and your health by simply reducing how much meat you eat. Seeing as the average Aussie uses 15-20 litres of water per minute, and let’s suggest that everyone takes a daily 10 minute shower, then you save as much water by not showering for 45 days as you would by not eating a large steak. In order to keep your job and still be accepted within your friendship circles, I suggest you go without the latter.

There’s a lot of chat about the Mediterranean diet. The diet focuses on the traditional dietary habits and lifestyle unique to the Mediterranean region. The Italians and the Greeks clearly didn’t share a duplicated meal plan – so the guidelines for this diet are flexible and easily adaptable. It suggests you eat lots of fruits, seeds, legumes, potatoes, spices, vegetables, and my personal favourite: bread. You should eat dairy in moderation, rarely eat red meat, and don’t eat processed meat or sugar-sweetened drinks.

There’s a significant body of research suggesting that focusing on plant-based foods, and rarely eating red meat, decreases chronic diseases.

Obviously, your diet is your personal choice, but hopefully these stats give you a bit to think about next time you chow down on a burger.