Peas Carbon Footprint & Environmental Impact

Per 23g Protein Serving (1/2 cup of Split Peas)
Carbon
Footprint
Square
Footprint
Water
Footprint
0.20 kg CO2e
8.74 ft2
11.41 Gallons
Monthly Choice
Weekly Choice
Daily Choice
Best Choice
The Environmental Impact of Peas is 30.3x lower than a Beef Burger:
48.7x
Less Carbon
35.7x
Less Land
6.6x
Less Water

Food Waste

Food waste increases the environmental impact of peas by 11.1%

Consumers are estimated to waste on average 10% of all peas purchased (USDA ERS, 2019; based on legumes).

Food waste increases the environmental impact of Peas by 11.1%

Consumers are estimated to waste on average 10% of all peas purchased (USDA ERS, 2019; based on legumes).

Carbon Footprint

If you ate 1/2 cup of split peas every day for a year, you would use:

8.3

Gallons of Gasoline Equivalent

73.7

kg CO2e
If you ate 1/2 cup of Split Peas every day for a year, you would use:

8.3

Gallons of Gasoline Equivalent

73.7

kg CO2e

The Carbon Footprint of Peas is 0.20 kg CO2e per 1/2 cup of split peas. The greenhouse gas emissions of Peas are 48.7 times lower than a beef burger.

  • 8.9 g CO2e / g protein

  • 1.13 kg CO2e / 2,000 kcal

  • 2.06 kg CO2e / kg

  • 0.93 kg CO2e / lb

  • 231.2 g protein / kg (Source: USDA Food Data Central (2019))

  • 3,640 kcal / kg (Source: USDA Food Data Central (2019))

Carbon Footprint of Gasoline: 8.89 kg CO2e / gallon

  • Based on EIA (2016)

Carbon Footprint at Retail Gate: 0.98 kg CO2e / kg

  • Global weighted average reported by Poore & Nemeck (2018). The study is the most thorough meta-analysis for the environmental impact of food published to date. The value represents 33 Life Cycle Analyses (LCA), mostly in the peer reviewed literature. Individual LCA studies are weighted according to their representativeness of the country they were performed in, as well as that country’s global production. The study re-samples the dataset to fill in gaps for missing data and uncertainty.

  • Carbon footprint with climate feedbacks includes all on-farm processes, land use change, transportation for processing and delivery to retail, packaging, retail storage, and all losses from processing and food waste.

Carbon Footprint of Transport From Retail to Home: 0.44 kg CO2e / kg

Carbon Footprint of Cooking: 0.42 kg CO2e / kg

  • Cooked at a ratio of 3 cups of water per cup of split peas for 45 minutes according to Central Market (2020).

  • Model assumes a lid on the pot.

  • Assumes a proxy heat capacity of 1.17 J / g*C for split peas, as reported by Engineering Toolbox (2020).

  • For energy use calculators and the proportion of US Household size used to determine cooking proportions, see the “Carbon Footprint of Cooking” page.

  • Source: Carbon Footprint of Cooking

Carbon Footprint of Consumer Food Loss: 0.18 kg CO2e / kg

Carbon Footprint of Disposal: 0.03 kg CO2e / kg

Cradle to Grave Carbon Footprint: 2.06 kg CO2e / kg

Additional Assumptions:

  • Energy use from refrigeration at home is not considered. The electricity load of a refrigerator is considered separate from the foods placed inside of it, because it is assumed that every household has a refrigerator, regardless of how much food is in it. The individual load of opening the refrigerator for one item has been estimated to be around 2 g CO2e / opening (0.02 MJ / opening; Terrell, 2006), and thus does not meet the cutoff for sensitivity of carbon footprints set at 2 significant digits for kg CO2e.

Square Footprint

If you ate 1/2 cup of split peas every day for a year, you would use:

22

Parking Spaces Equivalent

3,191

ft2
If you ate 1/2 cup of split peas every day for a year, you would use:

22

Parking Spaces Equivalent

3,191

ft2

The Square Footprint of Peas is 8.74 ft2 per 1/2 cup of split peas. The land use of Peas is 35.7 times lower than a beef burger.

  • 0.386 ft2 / g protein

  • 49.02 ft2 / 2,000 kcal

  • 89.22 ft2 / kg

  • 40.47 ft2 / lb

  • 231.2 g protein / kg (Source: USDA Food Data Central (2019))

  • 3,640 kcal / kg (Source: USDA Food Data Central (2019))

Square Footprint at Retail Gate: 80.30 ft2 / kg

  • Global weighted average reported by Poore & Nemeck (2018). The study is the most thorough meta-analysis for the environmental impact of food published to date. The value represents 33 Life Cycle Analyses (LCA), mostly in the peer reviewed literature. Individual LCA studies are weighted according to their representativeness of the country they were performed in, as well as that country’s global production. The study re-samples the dataset to fill in gaps for missing data and uncertainty.

  • Value reported includes on farm post-harvest handling and storage losses reported by Poore & Nemeck (2018). Land use required for seed and fallow land is added to the final yield to reflect all land required.

  • Value reported includes all processing losses and food wasted.

  • Original value reported as 7.46 m2 / kg

Square Footprint After Food Loss: 89.22 ft2 / kg

  • The USDA ERS Loss Adjusted Food Availability (2019) reports a consumer loss of 10% for legumes in the United States.

  • Total consumer food loss of 10% increases the Square Footprint by 8.92 ft2 / kg, or 11.1%.

Water Footprint

If you ate 1/2 cup of split peas every day for a year, you would use:

27.8

Hours in the Shower Equivalent

4,165

Gallons of Water
If you ate 1/2 cup of split peas every day for a year, you would use:

27.8

Hours in the Shower Equivalent

4,165

Gallons

The Water Footprint of Peas is 11.41 gallons per 1/2 cup of split peas. The water use of Peas is 6.6 times lower than a beef burger.

  • 0.504 gallons / g protein

  • 64.0 gallons / 2,000 kcal

  • 116.4 gallons / kg

  • 52.8 gallons / lb

  • 231.2 g protein / kg (Source: USDA Food Data Central (2019))

  • 3,640 kcal / kg (Source: USDA Food Data Central (2019))

Water Footprint at Retail Gate: 104.78 gallons / kg

  • Global weighted average reported by Poore & Nemeck (2018). The study is the most thorough meta-analysis for the environmental impact of food published to date. The value represents 33 Life Cycle Analyses (LCA), mostly in the peer reviewed literature. Individual LCA studies are weighted according to their representativeness of the country they were performed in, as well as that country’s global production. The study re-samples the dataset to fill in gaps for missing data and uncertainty.

  • Water use includes all irrigation water, water extracted for processing, and food wasted.

  • Original value reported as 396.60 L / kg.

Water Footprint After Food Loss: 116.4 gallons / kg

  • The USDA ERS Loss Adjusted Food Availability (2019) reports a consumer loss of 10% for legumes in the United States.

  • Total food loss of 10% increases the Water Footprint by 11.62 gallons / kg, or 11.1%.

References

Energy Information Administration (EIA; February 2, 2016). Carbon Dioxide Emissions Coefficients. See Link to Source

Central Market. (2020). Cooking Guide for Dried Beans. See Link to Source.

Home Water Works. (2019). Showers. See Link to Source

Franklin Street. (May 23, 2019). How Large is a Parking Space? See Link to Source

Poore, J., & Nemecek, T. (2018). Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers. Science, 360(6392), 987-992.

Terrell, W. (2006). Energy Requirements of Refrigerators Due to Door Opening Conditions. International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference. Paper 836.

The Engineering ToolBox. (2003). Specific Heat of Food and Foodstuff. See Link to Source

USDA ERS: US Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. (2019). Loss-Adjusted Food Availability. See Link to Source

USDA Food Data Central: US Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service. (April 1, 2019). Peas, Green, Split, Mature Seeds, Raw – See Link to Source