Our recently launched Plant-Based Plates program is focused on supporting institutions, including schools, in improving access to humane, sustainable and healthy plant-based options on the daily cafeteria menu.
These efforts are more important than ever, with a growing body of scientific research calling for a significant reduction in the consumption of animal products in favour of more plant-based options. This is essential to tackle the growing factory farming trend, the biodiversity crisis and climate change.
While we focus our efforts on helping institutions build on existing Meatless Monday initiatives by taking the next step to offer daily plant-based options, we’re also hard at work encouraging municipalities to prioritize plant-based options in their policies and practices. VHS participated in the City of Vancouver’s Food Solutions Lab, which brought together City staff, partners and community groups, as part of the Vancouver’s response to its climate emergency declaration. Together, participants researched strategies involving equitably shifting diets toward foods that protect people and the planet. This is an important starting point and we look forward to continuing to support this work moving forward.
In 2019, we attended 23 events, distributed nearly 5800 of our Go Veg booklets and sent weekly recipes to over 1500 people who took our plant-based pledge, all as part of our effort to educate and empower the public about the impact of our food choices. If you haven’t already, you can take our plant-based pledge to receive your weekly plant-based recipe!