Issue Type: Plant-Based Eating

As the UN climate convention ends, Humane Society International is encouraged by recognition of food system’s contribution to the climate crisis

Humane Society International / Global

HSI team at COP27. HSI.

SHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt—Humane Society International is encouraged by the long overdue recognition among climate talk negotiators that food systems not only contribute to the ever-worsening climate crisis but can also serve as a key to mitigating it.

For the first time ever, this year’s climate talks held an official day dedicated to negotiations on food and agriculture. Under the banner of the Food4Climate pavilion, HSI co-organized and hosted three side events that brought together government delegates, policymakers, farmers, businesses, climate activists and community leaders to discuss how we can shift our food systems in a way that is better for animals, people and the planet.

Audiences heard about HSI’s successful work in Latin America, as an example of how government procurement and diet change is not only improving climate emissions, but also giving millions of schoolchildren access to healthy, sustainable and plant-rich food. This is a system that has been shown to work and can be scaled around the world to help countries increase their progress toward reaching climate goals.

However, despite the engagement by a record number of organizations bringing scalable mitigation strategies to the event, animal agriculture continued to remain the proverbial “cow in the room”. Official discussions around food systems sidestepped the critical issue of how we can lower emissions through reducing production and consumption of foods from industrial animal production, which is a leading driver of climate emissions that is on par with all transportation in the world combined. The menus at COP 27 themselves offered a range of resource-intensive animal-based foods.

In addition, when emissions from the livestock sector was discussed, there was increased focus on proposed solutions involving low-impact technical measures, such as feed additives, rather than more ambitious and impactful measures such as dietary shifts and global livestock number reductions. HSI is particularly concerned that the meat industry’s disinformation tactic to maintain the status quo by shifting the discussion away from meat and dairy reduction measures threatens the now barely alive 1.5°C target.

President and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States and CEO of Humane Society International, Kitty Block said: “Even after a productive conference, we cannot ignore that world leaders still failed to make and execute ambitious pledges that address one of the biggest anthropogenic greenhouse gas emitters in the world: animal agriculture. As a global community, we need clear policies and targets that shift farming toward plant-based food production. While it is clear the conversation has started, it is equally apparent the world still has a long way to go—and we are running out of time.”

Although COP27 may be over, the work to combat the impact of intensive animal farming on animals, people and the planet continues. Particularly in countries where the average consumption of animal products is above recommended intakes for planetary and human health, HSI will continue to engage with global leaders on this topic, advocating for policies that focus on shifting diets to more humane and healthier, plant-rich models; that support farmers in transitioning to more resilient, plant-based agriculture; and that foster and promote innovation and growth in the protein landscape.

Stephanie Maw, public affairs and campaigns officer for HSI/United Kingdom, attended the conference, and said: “While there were many conversations at COP27, particularly at the Food4Climate pavilion, about the urgent need for global food system reform, leader negotiations around this topic were disappointingly lacking in ambition. Through our programs around the world, HSI has shown that policies that support a more resilient, plant-centric global food system such as public procurement shifts towards plant-rich models can be achieved successfully and at scale. We leave this COP more determined than ever to inspire global leaders to include concrete measures and tools for supporting diet change in their national action plans and policies.”

Julie Janovsky, vice president of farm animal welfare at HSI said, “UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres correctly told delegates on Nov. 7 that the world was on the ‘highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator.’ If we are to achieve the Paris Agreement target of limiting global temperatures to a 1.5˚C increase from pre-industrial levels, we must move past the fantasy that low-impact solutions are merely a tap on the brakes. A global transformation of our food production system, as well as consumption habits, is imperative for human and planetary health. If we are truly serious about reducing our speed, we must stem the increase and ultimately reduce the number of animals globally raised, fed and slaughtered for consumption through a systemic transition to climate-friendly, plant-centric food production and diets.”

Thayana Oliveira, food policy manager at HSI in Brazil, said: “Through our programs together with Mercy for Animals Brazil, HSI is providing practical models of how amending procurement policies at scale can help meet sustainability goals—models that we will use in our continued advocacy for food systems transformation. In the city of Salvador, for example, more than 10 million meals are being transitioned to plant-based every year across the city’s municipal schools. Not only are we providing children with new nutritious, healthy options and saving hundreds of thousands of animals lives every year, but we are also achieving impactful benefits for the environment. Through this program, Salvador is saving an estimated 75,000 tons of CO2-equivalent emissions per year, which is the equivalent of approximately 357 million miles driven by car, to say nothing of the savings in water and land use.”

ENDS

Media contact: Madeline Bove, media relations specialist: mbove@humanesociety.org ; 213-248-1548

HSI/Africa’s Green Monday programme will help Capsicum introduce delicious, more humane, and environmentally friendly options to their curriculum

Humane Society International

Vegan market food
Subodh Agnihotri

CAPE TOWN, South Africa—In honour of World Vegan Month this November, Capsicum Culinary Studio has announced a collaboration with Humane Society International/Africa.

With growing numbers of South Africans reducing their consumption of meat, eggs and dairy and embracing a more plant-centric diet, HSI/Africa will help equip the school’s lecturers and students with the knowledge and skills in plant-based cooking to meet this growing demand. The new training initiative launched with a plant-based recipe development competition amongst the lecturers.

In the upcoming months, through its Green Monday South Africa programme, HSI/Africa will host a series of plant-based culinary sessions for Capsicum lecturers from all six campuses across the country. These will include the fundamentals of creating interesting, flavoursome plant-based meals tailored to different audiences, from everyday restaurant dishes to fine dining and events catering. The techniques learned will be passed on to third-year students as part of their curriculum starting in 2023.

The modules will not only include practical learnings but also offer coursework to support innovative recipe development, teachings on why eating more plant-based is important for the animal welfare, the environment and human health, and tips on how to successfully market plant-based options to increase uptake amongst consumers.

Some of the tasty dishes that will be introduced to the lecturers during the sessions include a Savoury Tofu Scramble, Vegan Butter Chicken, Chickpea Omelettes with Cashew Cream and a Thyme and Orange Sponge Cake. All of the dishes rely heavily on local ingredients and are less expensive and more sustainable than similar dishes using animal products.

Leozette Roode, meat reduction specialist for Humane Society International/Africa, said: “Chefs are at the forefront of a crucial food revolution and HSI/Africa wants to encourage South African chefs to embrace this change and feel confident in whipping up delicious and nutritious plant-based dishes. Putting plants on our plates can be ever as tasty, and also have a phenomenal impact on the climate, our health, and farmed animal welfare.

Most chefs have not yet explored the full potential of vegetables, indigenous grains, legumes and pulses, fruits, nuts, seeds and herbs that provide interesting ingredients for veggie meals without sacrificing taste, texture or pleasure. We are very proud to work with Capsicum Culinary Studio to teach their lecturers and students the know-how of plant-based cooking, and we are excited to see how they make use of this knowledge in the South African food industry once they graduate.”

Candice Adams, manager operations academic at Capsicum Culinary Studio, explained: “We realise that a plant-based culinary education is becoming more than a point under special diets in a curriculum. We are all responsible for equipping learners with relevant and applicable skills to become employable and capable of successful entrepreneurship. We are also responsible for empowering learners to think and investigate and to better prepare them to lead in this incredibly dynamic time in the world. It’s important that at culinary schools there are discussions about sustainability and the role we play in the culinary field; how we impact supply and the environment through our practices and the understanding of customer demands and culinary trends and the importance of lifelong learning and an endlessly inquisitive mind.

I believe that the plant-based diet phenomenon will continue to grow and evolve. We’ve seen a massive increase in this movement over the past decade, with rapid growth and adoption in the last five years. More people are implementing a flexitarian, vegetarian or vegan diet for various reasons, ranging from health reasons to ecological and sustainability reasons, religious and cultural reasons and ethical reasons. With so much happening in the research and development of plant-based alternatives and plant-centred nutrition, more people are open to experiencing plant-based food and starting to understand the reasons behind plant-based choices and its growing popularity.”

Many benefits come from a greener diet. Numerous studies indicate that a diet rich in plant-based foods can help improve our health, and that people who eat fewer animal products have lower rates of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis and cancer. Our carbon footprint and water use are also greatly reduced on a plant-based diet, as farming animals requires significantly more water and produces a lot more greenhouse gases than farming vegetables and grains. Finally, replacing meat, milk and eggs also benefits farm animals, millions of whom spend their entire lives in cages or crates where they are unable to exercise, engage in their natural behaviours and often even turn around because of lack of space.

For more information on the Green Monday South Africa movement and programmes implemented in South Africa, visit greenmondayza.org. For plant-based recipes, visit greenmonday.co.za. For more information on the Capsicum Culinary Studio courses, visit capsicumcooking.com.

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Media Contacts:

Sodexo Canada has created the new, 100% plant-based eatery in collaboration with HSI/Canada’s Forward Food program, as part of Sodexo’s plant-based pledge

Humane Society International / Canada

MONTREAL—On this World Vegan Day, Sodexo Canada and Humane Society International/Canada are excited to announce another milestone in their national collaboration: the launch of Verde, a 100% plant-based dining concept. The first ever Verde location has just opened at Confederation College in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and is being operated by Sodexo Canada.  

“Our new Verde offer is a game changer in the food service industry where Sodexo Canada continues to commit itself to the well-being of its students and the planet through an innovative plant-based, plant-forward concept,” said Martin Lapointe, senior vice president of operations for Sodexo Campus. 

“We’re very excited for the opportunity to grow our relationship with HSI by opening the first Verde location in Canada,” said Kyle Mason, senior manager culinary development for Sodexo Canada. “The increased demand for plant-based food has been dramatic over the past few years and HSI has supported us through this exciting transition. The training sessions have not only provided our chefs with the skills to add more plant-based items on their menu, but they’ve also become a networking opportunity where our chefs can connect and collaborate on ways to further increase the number of plant-based items on their menu.” 

The introduction of Verde is part of Sodexo’s nationwide commitment to transition 20% of its protein purchases across Canada to plant-based by Dec. 31, 2024—a pledge made in conjunction with HSI/Canada’s Forward Food program last year. Forward Food works with leaders in the food service industry to make plant-based options more widely available, meeting consumer demand for more ethical, sustainable and nutritious food choices.  

“We are overjoyed to see Verde come to life, making it easier for students and staff at Confederation College to enjoy plant-based meals,” said Riana Topan, senior campaign manager for HSI/Canada’s Forward Food program. “Working with Sodexo’s leadership on this initiative has been a dream and we are so proud of their progress to date in making more compassionate and environmentally friendly meals a bigger part of their menus.”  

Sodexo and HSI/Canada began collaborating in 2018, and since that time they have co-hosted a series of plant-based training sessions for the food service management company’s culinary staff. A star participant in those trainings was Chef Leanne English, Sodexo’s national director of culinary experience for campus and the creative culinary mind behind Verde.  

The concept’s initial offerings include dishes such as an avocado sushi bowl, black bean and sweet potato burrito, plant-based meatball sub and cheesy tofu scrambled toast. Chef English’s launch menu makes use of a wide variety of ingredients, from staples like chickpeas and quinoa, to dairy-free cheeses and a dark chocolate spread made from scratch. 

Sodexo plans to open other Verde locations in the future, continuing to elevate the company’s plant-based menu options at their higher education, corporate services and energy and resource accounts in Canada. HSI/Canada and Sodexo Canada will also co-host their ninth culinary training session this month, and Sodexo Canada’s sustainability manager, Davide Del Brocco, will participate in a webinar hosted by HSI/Canada at the end of November. 

The collaboration between Sodexo and Humane Society International spans across the globe, including in Singapore, Europe, United Kingdom and the United States. HSI commends Sodexo’s corporate social responsibility strategies that help people eat healthier, lighten their footprint on the environment and deliver on improved animal welfare standards across the food service industry. 

ENDS

Media contacts:  

Stephanie Aubin, director of communications, Sodexo Canada, email: stephanie.aubin@sodexo.com.  

Riana Topan, senior campaign manager, HSI/Canada, cell: 438-882-7231, email: rtopan@hsi.org. 

School meals in Sobral improve animal welfare, climate impact and health for 35,000 students

Humane Society International / Global

reproduction/City Hall of Sobral

SOBRAL, Brazil—An agreement signed by the Municipality of Sobral, in collaboration with Humane Society International and Mercy for Animals’ Alimentação Consciente Brasil program, will bring healthier and more climate-friendly food to almost 35,000 students attending the city’s public schools while improving the welfare of animals. Lectures on nutrition and plant-based culinary training sessions delivered in late Augustkick-started the implementation of the program.

The initiative seeks to replace 20% of ingredients from animals with vegetables, legumes, grains and fruits in more than 2.3 million meals every year. Teams from Humane Society International and Alimentação Consciente Brasil will train municipal kitchen teams in plant-based cuisine and will share knowledge with school education coordinators about the positive nutritional and environmental principles of making small changes to diets.

Food systems with high intake of animal products have been reported to increase health problems such as obesity, diabetes and cancer. Further, animal agriculture globally is a leading driver of climate change and is directly linked to serious environmental problems such as deforestation and excessive use of water.

The agreement is the result of the city’s participation in the first edition of the Urban Laboratory of Food Public Policies, organized by Instituto Comida do Amanhã and Local Governments for Sustainability, with institutional support from Alimentação Consciente Brasil and Humane Society International.

“We believe that food policies drive sustainable development, can contribute to the regeneration of the planet and also to the health of people in the present, as well as future generations,” comments Alice Martins, senior manager of food policies at Alimentação Consciente Brasil.

In Brazil, about 70% of grains are fed to farmed animals instead of people, a sobering statistic when many in the world face hunger and food insecurity. Indeed, the farm animal production sector is the single largest anthropogenic user of land globally, with meat, egg, dairy and aquaculture production systems using approximately 83% of the world’s farmland while providing just 37% of the world’s protein and 18% of calories. Animal agriculture is also a major contributor to the climate crisis, responsible for at least 16.5% of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.  By changing our food system and consumption habits we can significantly reduce the environmental impact of our food system while also providing adequate nutrition.

“Several municipalities, food service companies, and public and private institutions around the world have implemented similar programs as a means to promote more resilient food systems that align with global commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also improving animal welfare,” says Thayana Oliveira, food policy manager at the Humane Society International.

The sustainability assessment conducted by Alimentação Consciente Brasil and Humane Society International estimates that this agreement, which the participants signed in April 2022,  will:

  • Spare 4,200 tons of soy no longer destined for livestock, which is enough to feed about 50,000 adults for one year.
  • Preserve 1,400 hectares of land, the equivalent of 800 football fields.
  • Save 22 million liters of water, the equivalent to more than 160,000 showers of 15-minutes.
  • Reduce 5,000 tons of CO2eq emission, the equivalent of driving a car for 40 million km.

“With this agreement the city of Sobral, recognized as the education capital of Brazil, is taking leadership in advancing public health and sustainability through school meals,” says Francisco Herbert Lima Vasconcelos, secretary of education of the municipality of Sobral.

ENDS

Media contact: Thayana Oliveira Soares, food policy manager for HSI in Brazil, toliveira@hsi.org ; (31) 98484-4890

Humane Society International / Global

Show world leaders there is support for a transition toward a more resilient plant-centric food system.

Reassessing our food systems and intensive livestock farming must be high on the COP27 agenda

Humane Society International / Europe

Cows in a feed lot
dhughes9/iStock.com

BONN, Germany—Today, given the urgent need to make transformative shifts across food systems World Animal Protection and Humane Society International hosted an event, ‘A just protein transition for sustainability, biodiversity and the climate’, at the UN Bonn Climate Change Conference. The panelists highlighted the need for more attention to be placed on industrial livestock production as a significant driver of climate change at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) to be held in Egypt in November. They are also asking for policymakers to take comprehensive action to drive a global transformation of our food production system and consumption habits, if we are to have any hope of meeting Paris Agreement targets.

The panel made-up of experts in food, climate, and animal welfare made the case for why a just protein transition is a crucial step towards reducing emissions. Speakers highlighted the importance for a just, humane and sustainable protein transition for Asia, as the largest meat producing region in the world, accounting for around 45% of total meat production, and forecasted to account for 53% of global trade by 2029.

“The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate report is clear: we are not on track to keep global temperatures to 1.5 degrees of warming as per the Paris Agreement,” said Stephanie Maw, public affairs and campaign officer for Humane Society International UK. “We need rapid transformations across all systems, including food systems, to avoid the worst climate impacts and address the mass animal suffering caused by industrial farming.​”

“The scale of the suffering of billions of animals trapped in intensive factory farms is alarming and its very existence should shock and shame us, but it is also doing untold damage to our health, to biodiversity, to workers and to our entire planet,” said World Animal Protection CEO Steve McIvor.

“With a human population projected to surpass 9.7 billion people by 2050, combined with growing demand for meat and dairy, particularly across Asia and Africa, the spread of industrial livestock systems around the world will significantly increase their already devastating impact the environment, climate, public health, human rights and animal welfare in the years to come. Enabled in a timely manner, a just transition in livestock production would not only help mitigate the climate crisis, but could also serve as a strong driver of job creation, social justice, poverty reduction and better public health,” said Lasse Bruun, 50by40 CEO.

In response to these trends, World Animal Protection and 50by40, brought together 40 Asia-based civil society organisations working on climate change, public health, finance, smallholder farming, and human and consumer rights in March 2022 to map out the negative impacts of how protein is currently being produced, and to identify pathways for a shift toward a just, humane and sustainable protein system in Asia.

“Asia’s footprint as the largest meat producing region with significant growth forecast over the next 10 years is of great concern, will spike the region’s greenhouse gas emissions. The projection that Southeast Asia will become the fastest growing importer of soya for animal feed by 2022, will further aggravate climate change by threatening biodiversity and forest conservation. Given this context, the Communique titled ‘Asia Civil Society Call for a Just, Humane and Sustainable Protein Transition’ and its advocacy strategy, is an important and timely initiative to disrupt this unsustainable and climate-damaging trend,” said Nithi Nesadurai, Director and Regional Coordinator of Climate Action Network Southeast Asia.

ENDS

Media Contacts:

  • Elodie Guillon, network manager, World Animal Protection, +66818603483, elodieguillon@worldanimalprotection.org
  • David Garrahy, external affairs manager, World Animal Protection, +32 470 17 44 87, DavidGarrahy@worldanimalprotection.org
  • Shweta Sood, head of programme, 50by40, + 91 99717 56347, shweta.sood@50by40.org
  • Madeline Bove, media relations specialist, Humane Society International, 213-248-1548, mbove@humanesociety.org

Notes to editors:

The communique calls on world leaders at COP27 to put a halt to further expansion of factory farming systems and to recognise that a just, humane and sustainable protein transition is crucial to ensure that our global food system is in alignment with the goals of the Paris Agreement, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the objectives of the UN Food Summit and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

According to the latest IPCC report, global carbon emissions need to be cut by at least 43% in the next eight years if we are to have any chance of meeting the 1.5 C warming target. The IPCC report also noted that even if fossil fuel emissions were halted now, current trends in global food systems emissions would make it impossible to reach the Paris Agreement goal

Globally, the livestock sector already accounts for at least 14.5% of current global greenhouse gas emissions, according to United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Under a “business-as-usual” scenario, livestock production is projected to take up 81% of the global 1.5°C GHG budget by 2050, according to GRAIN and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP).

Humane Society International / India

(REFERENCE https://forwardfoodsa.org/)

Through the Forward Food South Asia initiative, food service professionals, chefs, dietitians, doctors, public health leaders, environmental organizations, and millions of individuals are getting together to create a healthier, more sustainable food system.

Why?

According to World Health Organization, at healthy diet for adults should contain at least 400 g (5 portions) of fruits and vegetables a day. In fact, starting on a healthy dietary practice early on in life can reduce the risk of becoming overweight and protect individuals against noncommunicable diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

A committee of top independent scientists and nutrition professionals presented recommendations for the 2015 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The committee concluded that a diet “higher in plant-based foods … and lower in animal-based foods is more health-promoting and is associated with lesser environmental impact.”

According to the World Health Organization, it is advisable to limit the consumption of processed meat and red meat, which are linked to increased risks of death from heart disease, diabetes and other diseases. Likewise, red meat has been classified within category 2A (probably carcinogenic to humans), and processed meat within category 1A (carcinogenic to humans). Within The 1A Category are potential cancer-causing elements like smoking and exposure to asbestos.

Reducing meat consumption is not only good for our health, but eating more plant-based foods is healthier for the planet. Plant foods use much less water and generate less greenhouse gas emissions than animal feed. The Organization of the United Nations for Food and Agriculture (FAO) has determined that livestock is one of the two or three sectors with major negative environmental impacts at local and global levels. This is due to its relationship with land degradation, climate change, air pollution, water scarcity and pollution and the loss of biodiversity.

So, by reducing meat consumption and eating more plant-based foods, you are not only protecting the planet but ensuring a good health for yourself. As the U.S. Dietary Guidelines committee also points out, the benefits of promoting “healthy diets that are more environmentally sustainable now will conserve resources for present and future generations.”

How

We’re preventing cancer, diabetes and heart disease. We’re tackling obesity by following the Three Rs – Reduce, Refine and Replace. By following a more humane diet, we’re reducing the risk of chronic diseases that plague us; while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving our water resources.

Emphasize meatless meals
India has been a predominantly vegetarian market; with focus on the philosophy of Ahimsa or non-violence. There needs to be a further stress on following this philosophy, if we want to progress forward as a healthier and happier nation. There are many creative and simple ways food service professionals are reducing meat purchases. Some are doing meat-free days like Meatless Monday—in which they may make all meals plant based, or emphasize on meatless meals that day, with a higher percentage of plant-based entrees. Others are adding additional plant-based meals to their menus on a daily basis. Some are mixing plant-based proteins or mushrooms with their meat, reducing overall meat usage.

Events
We’ll come to your school or dining operation to host a Forward Food, Veg Out Reach or Meatless Monday event, Culinary Experience training for chefs, or two-hour K-12 Nutrition Workshop. Learn more about our events program.

Recipe development
The HSI culinary team, including a chef, food service director, and dietitians, can create plant-based recipes for your organization. If there is a particular dish that is culturally important or very popular at your location, HSI can create a healthier, plant-based alternative.

HSI has a catalog of over 100 recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert that can be provided for university or health care food service staff during training. HSI also has a catalog of over 40 K-12 compliant recipes that can be provided to elementary food service staff during training.

If you would like help adjusting your menus for patients as well as customers, HSI’s registered dietitians can provide expert advice and sample menus for how to promote healthier, plant-based meals.

Marketing and promotion
HSI can assist your school district with marketing plant-based entrees in your dining centers. Internal marketing generally consists of point of sale materials, posters, customer incentives, presentations to staff, web site content, and drafted letters for staff / customers.

Our HSI food and nutrition coordinators can also help you with public outreach should you wish to have public recognition for your commitment to health and sustainability. This is done through media pitches or press releases and social media concepts / suggestions / graphics.

Environmental impact measurement
We’ve teamed up with a scientific expert who can assess how your decision to add more plant-based foods may positively impact the planet. Changes in food related greenhouse gas emissions will be quantified and reported in a format that you can use in communications with your customers/students, and also as part of any wider greenhouse gas reduction strategy your school or institution may have. This specialty service can be tailored to your needs.

Veg OutReach programme
HSI/India supports a “Meat Reduction Campaign” and creates avenues to interact with animal welfare organizations, teams, or individuals in India. HSI/India’s meat reduction campaign is aimed at sensitizing people on the concept of eating with a conscious, by reducing in the consumption of meat/dairy products. The program employees various methods; videos, presentations, films, documentaries, street plays, theater, painting/collage competition, creative writing and other to present the true picture of the animal farms and show where the meat comes from.

Resources

K-12 schools
These K-12 compliant recipes, CACFP recipes, prepared products and cycle menus for K-12 schools are not only delicious, healthy, and USDA-compliant, they’ve also been tested for student approval. So yes, kids love them! Use this toolkit to help promote great food and learn more about free training for your school district!

Food service
Here are some simple, mouthwatering recipes for food service that are so tasty no one will know they’re good for our bodies and are made with ingredients that are better for our environment. Download our Professional’s Guide to Meat-Free Meals for more ideas.

These toolkits for university foodservice professionals, healthcare food service professionals, and Meatless Monday provide strategies, solutions to common challenges, and an action plan for specific institutional settings.

100+ Recipes
Would you like plants to be the shining stars of your plates? Download over 100 plant strong recipes featuring grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits created by our classically trained chef, Wanda White.

There are also a number of individuals who are creating new and exciting food items, from gajar ka halwa to gluten free vegetable korma! Vegan Richa, Holy Cow Vegan Recipes , Manjula’s Kitchen

Videos
Check out our 2020 Clean Cooking plant based webinar series!

Plant-based products
Looking for a one stop shop for both the classic and newest plant-based products? There are many selling it in India now. Try reaching out to Vezlay or Gooddot We got it here!

Promotional material
We can help you commercialize the plant based dishes in your restaurant. If you wish, we can promote your commitment with health and sustainability whether through internal marketing (like point of sale material, client incentives, personnel presentations like press releases. We are here to help. Contact us to receive brochures, postcards, posters or stickers and logos for free.

Cooperation between Conscious Eating Brazil, Humane Society International and city hall will ensure that more than 170,000 students have more vegetables, legumes, grains and fruits on their plate

Humane Society International / Brazil

Enaldo Pinto The Secretary of Sustainability and Resilience, alongside the Secretary of Education and the Vice-Mayor  holding the cooperation agreement signed at the partnership formalization event.

SALVADOR—The municipality of Salvador signed a cooperation agreement with Humane Society International and Mercy for Animals, through the Conscious Eating Brazil (ACB) program to launch the Educating for Sustainability program in municipal schools. The initiative, will impact more than 10 million meals a year in municipal schools, providing new, tasty and healthy options on the menu of 170,000 students, who will have more vegetables, legumes, grains and fruits on their plates.

The recipes were developed according to the needs of the institutions and the acceptance of students, also considering the food culture of the region, the infrastructure of the kitchens and the regulations that the institutions must follow, according to the National School Feeding Program. Participating institutions are encouraged to prepare meals only with in-natura ingredients

“By making this inclusion on the menu of institutions that serve meals on a large scale, such as schools and popular restaurants, we were able to significantly contribute to a systemic change in food culture, in addition to influencing an individual change in consumption for those who have the power to choose their food,” says Alice Martins, manager of Food Policies at Conscious Food Brazil in a statement translated from Portuguese into English.

The organizations created these programs to meet the demands and needs of public institutions that serve meals on a large scale. At no cost to the partner institution, these organizations offer the support of a team of nutritionists, chefs and specialized professionals who provide menu development, theoretical training in nutritional and environmental education and practical training in plant-based meal preparation. In addition, all professionals in the municipality involved in the program implementation process receive printed and virtual nutritional and environmental education materials to support a successful implementation.  The organizations provide ongoing support after the program is in place.

“The idea is to instill and create long-term changes in students’ eating habits. Today in Brazil we know that children, mainly from the poorest strata of the population, which is the target public of the municipal school system, do not consume the recommended servings of fruit and vegetables, and protein sources are concentrated on products of animal origin, so our proposal is that we can encourage our children to form a healthier palate for the rest of their lives,” says Municipal Secretary of Education, Marcelo Oliveira, in a translated statement.

“The objective is for municipal schools to easily include menu options with a greater variety of plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and cereals, which form the basis of a healthy diet, according to the recommendations  from the Ministry of Health, through its Food Guide for the Brazilian Population, and the World Health Organization,” says Thayana Oliveira, manager of Food Policies at HSI in Brazil.

The commitment will also help Salvador achieve critical climate, sustainability and health goals set by international and Brazilian authorities. After the program is implemented in all municipal schools, the city will receive the International Seal of Leadership in Health and Sustainability, recognizing its role and commitment to advancing and mitigating climate issues through healthy and sustainable eating. The program will also move the municipality closer to achieving five of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals and achieve goals 2, 7 and 26 of the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Plan developed by the municipality in an intersectoral manner.

“The program meets management objectives and will be a stimulus for our Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Plan, which aims to neutralize greenhouse gas emissions by 2049 in the municipality. In addition, it will promote healthy eating habits among students, with an increase in the consumption of vegetables, fruits, and other items of plant origin, highlighted the Secretary of Sustainability and Resilience, Edna França, in a translated statement.

According to estimates of the scientific methodology used by ACB and HSI for the environmental impact, annually, the partnership will contribute to:

  • a savings of 50,000 tons of soy that will no longer be destined for livestock, enough to feed about 1.3 million adults for one year;
  • the preservation of 16,000 hectares of forests preserved, the equivalent of 16,000 football fields;
  • a savings of 400 million liters of water, equivalent to more than 3 million 15-minute showers;
  • the elimination of 75,000 tons of CO2 that would have been emitted, equivalent to about 575 million km not driven by car.

To learn more about ACB and HSI and learn about the resources offered free of charge to public institutions, visit alimentacaoconsciente.org and carnesdaterra.org.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Humane Society International / Europe

vaaseenaa/iStock.com

BRUSSELS—The European Parliament has adopted a resolution which calls for the EU Commission and Member States to help consumers eat a more healthy, plant-based diet and reduce overconsumption of meat to reduce cancer risks. It also calls for greater investment in non-animal biomedical test methods to replace obsolete animal models in cancer research. Europe accounts for a quarter of the world’s cancer cases with 1,3 million EU deaths each year.

The adopted resolution on Strengthening Europe in the fight against cancer—towards a comprehensive and coordinated strategy comes in advance of Cancer Prevention Action Week, and follows the EU’s launch of a 4 billion euro Beating Cancer Plan. Amongst a raft of other measures, the resolution:

  • “emphasises the role of a healthy diet in preventing and limiting the incidence and the recurrence of cancer, and stresses that individual cancer risks can be reduced by an increased consumption of sustainably-produced plants and plant-based foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes;
  • emphasises the need to address the overconsumption of meat and ultra-processed products, and products high in sugars, salt and fats;
  • asks the Commission and the Member States to encourage and help consumers to make informed, healthy and sustainable choices about food products by means of the adoption of a mandatory and harmonised EU front-of-pack nutritional label based on robust and independent scientific evidence;
  • supports fiscal measures to make fresh foods (such as fruits and vegetables, pulses, legumes and wholegrains) more affordable and accessible at national level;
  • calls for comprehensive nutrition public campaigns and supports nutrition counselling to be available in primary healthcare.”

Dr Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs for Humane Society International/Europe, said:

“There is mounting scientific evidence that the consumption of meat and dairy products can have a detrimental impact on human health. The World Health Organisation warns that processed meats are carcinogenic, that red meat probably increases your risk of bowel cancer and that eating the equivalent of less than two slices of bacon a day increases your chance of colorectal cancer by 18%. So it is heartening to see the European Parliament acknowledge the risk factors associated with animal products, as well as the protective benefits of eating a more plant-based diet. Alongside reducing climate change emissions and sparing animals suffering on factory farms, the human health advantages of eating more plant-based foods present another compelling reason to transition Europe to a more resilient food system.”

The adopted resolution also highlights the importance of non-animal research methodologies as more efficient and reliable in cancer research, and recognises the significant role of real-world data, mathematical modelling, artificial intelligence and digital tools in developing innovative and cost-efficient cancer treatments, which will reduce the use of animals in research.

Cancer is one of the main areas of experimental animal use in Europe, using nearly one million animals in 2017 (the latest EU statistics available), with animal use increasing despite the very poor translation of animal data to human use. The largest proportion of drug failures is in cancer, where there is approximately 5% likelihood of a drug being approved following animal trials. This means that 95% of the drugs that seem to offer hope for cancer treatment when tested in animal models (mostly mice) fail to have an impact for patients. The adopted resolution:

  • “stresses the importance of investing in the development of non-animal research methodologies [to] increase efficiency in research, and reduce unnecessary and often less reliable experiments on animals;
  • underlines that non-animal methods for testing the carcinogenicity of environmental chemicals, such as testing strategies focused on the underlying biological mechanisms that lead to cancer, should provide more relevant information than the animal-based methods currently in use for chemical safety assessment, thus enabling authorities to take swifter measures to limit exposure to harmful chemicals that could lead to cancer.”

Helder Constantino, director of research policy for HSI’s Research & Toxicology department, added:

“The EU Beating Cancer initiative offers an excellent opportunity to promote and seek additional funding for more advanced and human biology-based research approaches with the potential to overcome the limitations associated with current animal models and provide more human data to tackle the dramatic rise in cancer in Europe. HSI welcomes the Parliament’s emphasis on the importance of investing in new, non-animal research technologies, such as next-generation computing and miniature human organoids. ,  Non-animal methods for testing the cancer-causing potential of environmental chemicals should provide more human-relevant information than the old, slow and unreliable rodent tests currently in use. This will enable authorities to take swifter measures to reduce human exposure to chemicals of concern.”

Although the adopted resolution is non-binding, Humane Society International urges the European Commission and Member States to take note of its crucial message, and to continue to take concerted efforts to promote the protein transition, as well as to grant additional funding for the development and use of non-animal research methods.

Background information

Following the European Commission’s adoption of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan in 2020, the European Parliament established a Special Committee on Beating Cancer (BECA) in recognition of the disproportionate impact of cancer on Europeans. The number of cancer diagnoses in Europe is projected to increase from 3.5 million to more than 4.3 million newly diagnosed cases by 2035.

    • The WHO has classified processed meats, including ham, bacon, salami, sausages and frankfurters, as a Group 1 carcinogen (i.e. known to cause cancer). Processed meats have been linked to increased risk of colorectal cancer, with experts concluding that each 50g portion of processed meat eaten daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%. Red meat, such as beef, lamb and pork, has been classified by the WHO as a Group 2A carcinogen (i.e. probably causes cancer). Consumption of red meat was linked to colorectal cancer, as well as pancreatic and prostate cancers.
  • All animal proteins stimulate the growth hormone IGF-1; the more IGF-1 present in your bloodstream, the higher the risk for cancer development. Research shows that only those following a fully plant-based, vegan diet will experience cancer protection due to decreased growth hormone and increased binding protein levels.[1], [2]
  • Research shows that high-fibre diets protect against colon cancer and can even increase survival of those already diagnosed with the disease. Stomach cancer and breast cancer are less common with high-fibre diets. The best sources of fibre are minimally processed whole grains, beans, peas, lentils, vegetables, and fruits.[3],[4],[5],[6], [7], [8], [9]Beta-carotene, present in dark green, yellow, and orange vegetables, also helps protect against lung cancer and may help prevent cancers of the bladder, mouth, larynx, oesophagus and breast.
  • In October 2020, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) produced a freely available knowledge base of over 900 non-animal models for breast cancer research. According to the JRC, while “breast cancer is now estimated to be the most frequently occurring cancer, accounting for 13.3% of all new cancer diagnoses during 2020 in EU-27 countries”, disseminating human-biology based methods is key to develop new treatments because “current breast cancer research is too reliant on animal models, mostly using rodents. But rodents provide a poor model for human diseases.”
  • According to a scientific expert group of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, “It is now well recognized by the scientific and regulatory community that the conventional approach to carcinogenicity testing, particularly the use of the rodent cancer bioassay has many limitations in terms of reliability and relevance. It is not considered sufficiently fit for the purpose of human health hazard assessment”.

ENDS

Media contact: Yavor Gechev: +359889468098; ygechev@hsi.org

[1] Allen NE, Appleby PN, Davey GK, Kaaks R, Rinaldi S, et al. The associations of diet with serum insulin-like growth factor I and its main binding proteins in 292 women meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2002;11:1441-8.

[2] Allen NE, Appleby PN, Davey GK, Key TJ. Hormones and diet: low insulin-like growth factor-I but normal bioavailable androgens in vegan men. Br J Cancer 2000;83:95-7.

[3] Song M, Wu K, Meyerhardt JA. Fiber intake and survival after colorectal cancer diagnosis. JAMA Oncol. 2018;4:71-79.

[4] Ben Q, Sun Y, Chai R, Qian A, Xu B, Yuan Y. Dietary fiber intake reduces risk of colorectal adenoma: a meta-analysis. Gastroenterology. 2014;146:689 – 699.

[5] O’Keef  SJ, Li JV, Lahti L, et al. Fat, fibre and cancer risk in African Americans and rural Africans. Nat Commun. 2015;6:6342-6356

[6] Zhu B, Sun Y, Qi L, Zhong R, Miao X. Dietary legume consumption reduces risk of colorectal cancer: evidence from a meta-analysis of cohort studies. Sci Rep. 2015;5:8797-8804

[7] Risch  HA,  Jain  M,  Choi  NW,  et  al.  Dietary factors and the incidence of cancer of the stomach. Am J Epidemiol. 1985;122:947-959.

[8] Lubin F, Wax Y, Modan B, et al. Role of fat, animal protein and dietary fiber in breast cancer etiology: a case control study. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1986;77:605-612.

[9] Farvid MS, Eliassen AH, Cho E, Liao X, Chen WY, Willett WC. Dietary fiber intake in young adults and breast cancer risk. Pediatrics. 2016;137:e20151226 – e20151239

We can’t tackle climate crisis without cutting intensive animal farming as world’s second largest human-caused GHG emitter

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

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LONDON—As COP26 prepares to reveal the final pledges focused on cutting emissions from energy, transport and other sectors, campaigners from Humane Society International, one of the largest global animal protection NGOs in the world, say the total omission of targets to reduce livestock farming and cut meat and dairy production and consumption, represents a ludicrous failure considering the sector is the world’s second largest emitter of human-induced greenhouse gases.

Stefanie McNerney, plant based solutions manager at Humane Society International, says: “Whilst there were many conversations at COP26 side events and press conferences about the urgent need for global food system reform to cut meat and dairy production and consumption, this vital climate mitigation strategy was depressingly absent from the COP26 leader negotiations. Current pledges on methane, coal, forests and transport still look set to put us way off target to limit global temperature rise, so it is a ludicrous failure to ignore the opportunity to limit one of the biggest greenhouse gas emitters in the world, animal agriculture. We need policies and targets that shift farming toward plant-based food production, and the clear lack of ambition to do so is deeply troubling. We have reached a stage in the climate crisis where so called technical solutions such as cattle feed additives are nowhere near enough to tackle emissions from this sector. The climate clock is ticking and it is well past time to move beyond these low-impact greenwashing distractions offered by Big Ag that merely perpetuate the growth of an unsustainable industry. The science is clear that that’s not an option. Will governments follow the science and plan a just transition to a more climate-resilient, plant-centric food system, or will we be waiting until the cows come home for them to stop ignoring the cow in the room?” 

Key points:

  • Despite world leaders at COP26 acknowledging that food production not only contributes to climate change, but also holds one of the keys to mitigating it, dialogues around this sector lacked ambition, with most official conversations focusing on low-impact strategies such as modifying livestock feed, tackling nitrous oxide in fertilizer and rewilding, whilst completely omitting discussion of high impact actions such as livestock reduction and diet change.
  • HSI welcomes the pledges on methane reductions and bringing an end to deforestation. However, animal agriculture is one of the largest contributors to both methane emissions and deforestation, and these issues cannot be addressed without reducing global livestock numbers and shifting to more plant-centric food production and consumption.
  • Diverting the discussion toward short-sighted mitigation tactics whilst willfully ignoring and even shooting down the topic of livestock reduction and diet change is nothing short of greenwashing by the livestock industry. Governments that are serious about climate change must address emissions from animal agriculture, and that means reducing the number of animals raised for consumption and transforming our food system to a more sustainable, resilient, plant-centric system that is just for all.
  • On the subject of missing the point, in the draft CMA decision by the COP26 president, the words ‘animal agriculture’ and ‘farming’, let alone ‘livestock reduction’ do not even feature once.
  • The other cow in the room was the cow served on the COP plates. The provision of meat on the menu at a climate conference was disappointing. The CO2equivalent labelling on all food served at the conference clearly demonstrated the very large carbon footprint of beef dishes compared to plant-based options. The juxtaposition of emissions between a beef burger weighing in at a hefty 3.3 kg CO2 e compared to a plant-based burger at just 0.2 kg CO2 e literally served up an obvious mitigation strategy on a plate—one that was a glaring omission from the COP26 negotiations.

HSI’s #TheCowInTheRoom campaign called on COP26 to acknowledge and act on the climate damaging impacts of intensive animal agriculture. The campaign has the backing of leading plant-based food companies and investors including Beyond Investing, Mosa Meat, Eat Just, Wicked Kitchen and Linda McCartney Foods, as well as celebrities such as Moby, Billie Eilish, Joaquin Phoenix, Alan Cumming, Alicia Silverstone, Mary McCartney, Leona Lewis, Martin Freeman, Lily Cole and Stephen Fry. Earlier this week the campaigners handed in a petition of more than 70,000 signatures with campaign partners ProVeg International and Four Paws.

ENDS

Media Contact: Wendy Higgins: whiggins@hsi.org

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