I love to eat a juicy burger because, well, juicy burgers are delicious. Lately, it seems that eating burgers, or any kind of meat, comes with a measure of guilt.

On top of everything else, cows are being blamed as a source of greenhouse gasses. But consider this: The environment without cattle and other grazing animals would be in a lot worse shape. Here’s why.

Grasslands comprise about 40 percent of the world’s landmass. It’s not just the American prairie, it’s the Pampas of South America, the Steppes of Russia and the Savannas of Africa.

Grasslands remove carbon from the air, and store it safely in the soil. Bison, cattle and other grazing animals have been a vital part of healthy grasslands through the ages. Their grazing forces the plants to build strong root systems, their hooves bury the seeds, and their manure acts as nature’s fertilizer.

Organic beef producers keep their animals out on pastures during the growing season each year. Other producers of grass-fed beef make sure their animals spend their lives on the pastures and rangelands as well.

Buying organic and grassfed meat assures that your great-tasting burger is also good for the environment. That’s something you can really chew on the next time you enjoy a nice, juicy burger.