News Reporter: Climate Coach: I found the best protein. It’s not meat.

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Climate Coach
Down-to-earth advice for life on our changing planet.

By Michael J. Coren

Welcome. This week, burning farms for the thrill of it and heating homes with bitcoin. But first, I found the most complete protein – and it's not meat.

(iStock)

There's protein water, protein beer, protein marshmallows. Millions follow "meatfluencers" on TikTok. If you're hungry for dessert, God bless you, a protein Pop-Tart will sustain you with 10 grams of protein alongside red No. 40.

Behind this macronutrient madness are three assumptions: We're not getting enough protein. The more the better. Meat is the best way to get it.

The problem? They're not true. Humans need some protein, of course. But an entire multibillion-dollar industry has sprung up to sell us a lot more of something we don't need in such quantities — at significant cost — that doesn't make most of us healthier, and in some cases, leaves us worse off.

"It is insane how easy it is to get protein," said Christopher Gardner, a professor at Stanford University's School of Medicine who investigates healthy diets. "One of the reasons for that is everything has protein."

You would not guess that from the online discourse. So several months ago, I began wading through it in search of an ideal protein for my busy, hungry mornings. The bar was high: convenient, affordable, healthy, tasty and satiating. I was open to any source — eggs, dairy, plants or meat — but preferably something I could make with one hand while holding an infant.

My journey through the scientific literature and decades of nutritional research led to one conclusion: We're overthinking this. Read this week's Climate Coach column to understand why the perfect protein is probably one you're already eating.

Write me with your questions at climatecoach@washpost.com. I read all your emails.

Click here to read the column

Field Sample

Dana Milbank's risk tolerance has steadily grown since moving to the country. This week, the Washington Post columnist set his farm on fire.

There are ecological reasons for what he's doing — winter is the best time to cut and treat woody invasive plants — but his experience has also boosted his sense of well-being. Read more about his winter of living dangerously.

(The Washington Post)

Learning Curve

Your power bill is soaring faster than a nearby data center's. While U.S. residents saw electricity rates increase by about 10 percent between 2022 and 2024, commercial users paid only 3 percent more, and industrial customers paid 2 percent less.

Read about why data centers get a deal on electricity — and how you're footing part of the bill

The Second Degree

Many of you don't love spiders as pets, I discovered after last week's column, but several Climate Coach readers couldn't help but sing their praises.

"Jumping spiders are absolutely the cutest of the spiders," said one reader, "and they have such big personalities for such little bodies!"

"We allow spiders the run of our house," wrote another. "Particularly intriguing is the wolf spider and the jumping spider who move around the house in search of prey … completely harmless and fun to watch. Last summer, we had a black widow in the corner of one of the bathrooms and we let her stay until her natural end. Since we knew where her web was, we made sure not to reach in there."

For those who wish to learn more about insects' endearing sides, the Facebook page All Bugs Go to Kevin was recommended. If you're still in doubt, Pam might inspire you. "I'm a big fan of spiders, and most other insects," she wrote by mail. "I'm a small 82-year-old woman. The insects don't frighten me."

On the Climate Front

From The Post:

Microplastics from washing clothes could be hurting your tomatoes.

U.S. carbon emissions were falling. Why did they go up in 2025?

Bear, evicted from crawl space, immediately returns.

EPA says it will no longer consider health costs in pollution regulations.

From elsewhere:

Scientists call another near-record hot year a "warning shot" from a shifting climate (NPR)

These Finnish homes are being heated by a surprising source: Bitcoin (Grist)

Judge rules Empire Wind can resume construction. (New York Times)

"Am I the only one who feeds ladybugs that appear in my house during the winter months?" asks Jane Wolfson, a professor emerita of environmental science at Towson University. "I doubt it."

She feeds them drops of water or water mixed with a little maple syrup (delivered with a toothpick in front of their faces) or a tidbit of moist cat food. "Does this keep them alive? I have no idea, but I continue to do it and enjoy watching them feed."

What's living in your home? Send me your photos and stories at climatecoach@washpost.com