Burger King will offer a reduction in Whopper methane emissions.
Source: Burger King
Burger King announced a new diet tip Tuesday: 100 grams of lemongrass a day to keep methane away.
The international chain Restaurant Brands is launching a Whopper burger made from cows on a low-methane diet. The limited-time burger offering will only be available at select locations in Miami, New York, Austin, Portland and Los Angeles.
Burger King worked with scientists from the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico and the University of California, Davis, to address the environmental impact of beef. Livestock was responsible for 3.9% of global U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2018, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Globally, that number is about 14.5%, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
On average, the lemongrass diet reduces about a third of methane emissions per day during the cow’s last three to four months of life, according to preliminary tests.
Concerns about climate change have led some consumers to reduce their overall meat consumption and switch to eating meat alternatives occasionally. Nationwide, Burger King sells meatless burgers and sausage patties made by Impossible Foods. A report commissioned by the 2019 maker of plant-based meats found that its burgers produced 89% less greenhouse gas emissions than a beef patty.
Burger King is not the only restaurant chain seeking to make its business greener. Starbucks pledged to become “a positive resource.” As part of that promise, he is adding meat alternatives to his menu and plans to eventually switch to reusable packaging. On Thursday, rival McDonald’s unveiled a new iconic location at Walt Disney World Resort that generates enough renewable energy to meet all of its energy needs on a net annual basis.
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