Local governments supporting plant based eating

This article lists some actions local authorities are taking to reduce meat and dairy consumption, including: local government policies, public sector catering, school catering and education, business help, communication, libraries and setting up staff networks.

Why?!

Chatham House states that governments must lead on efforts to address meat consumption, as the amount people currently eat is unsustainable. The Vegan Society offer specific advice for local governments.

An academic from Oxford University described eating more plant based food as the biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth. It was even described as imperative for surviving the climate emergency by one academic from the IPCC. This is because meat is a key contributor to global warming, according to reports from Oxford University and Leiden University. Having less animal agriculture will make a great impact on carbon emissions.

More plant based eating has been given as an effective way to reduce carbon footprints by academics from: C40 Cities, Imperial College London, Lancaster University, Lund University, Project Drawdown, Scientists for Global Responsibility, University College London, University of East Anglia and the University of Leeds.

Individuals can pledge to eat more plant based food, and receive support from: Eastleigh Council meat reduction email list, Count Us In, The Jump, Scientists for Global Responsibility, Trust for Sustainable Living, Drawdown Ecochallenge, Eden Project, Veganuary website and emails, Vegan Society app, Animal Aid website and emails, Viva app, Plant based health professionals emails, The vegan approach website, Meat Free Mondays website.

There are some nice infographics here.

Policy

Government food advisor, Henry Dimbleby recently recommended we encourage a reduction in meat consumption to tackle climate change, in an interview with The Guardian. In a further article, the newspaper evaluated the pros and cons of different policies to accomplish this. Ideas included: a supply- side tax, subsidy changes, advertising standards, eco labelling, changes to supermarket layouts and catering portion sizes, and feeding additives to cattle. Read more about policies in Eating Better or Chatham House.

Politicians in Germany and the Netherlands have already considered meat taxation as a response to the climate emergency. Revenue raised from the tax could be redistributed as a benefit and subsidies to make healthy food more affordable, and farming practices more sustainable.

• Endorse the Plant Based Treaty

Endorse the Plant Based Treaty, as in Haywards Heath. The Plant Based Treaty recommends a range of policies for responding to the climate emergency, including in areas such as: planning, exports, communication, education, fiscal policy, conservation, and community development. It is supported by many famous people, such as Paul McCartney. This template letter introduces the campaign, and why councils should sign up. There is a petition and email campaign to request MPs debate the treaty in parliament.

The Vegan Society also comments on policies, such as the National Food Policy, has a template letter to councillors, and advice for councillors.

• Take The Jump

Local authorities such as Waverly committed to take The Jump, which is a simple set of six steps to save the planet.

• Join Count Us In

Count Us In supports organisations make sustainability pledges, such as eating more vegetables.

• Become a Veg City

Brighton and Hove and many other cities are working to promote eating vegetables for health reasons.

Council Catering

Catering advice is available from: Plant Based Councils, Feed Our Future, The Vegan Society, Veganuary, Animal Aid.

• Provide only plant based catering to councillors attending council meetings

Faversham, Hythe, Oxfordshire, Cambridge, Lewisham Oxfordshire council state their reasons here, including: climate change, food waste, and healthy eating.

• Provide plant based options at council run events

Cambridge council state their reasons here, highlighting that it is the law in Portugal for public catering to include plant based options.

• Require all procurement contracts to include two meat free days

, as in: Ealing.

Schools

School advice is available from: Sustain, Pro Veg School Plates, Kale Yeah!, Veg Power, The Vegan Society catering and vegan inclusive education, Vegan Inclusive Education, Eco-Schools.

These curriculum linked picture books and learning resources could help explain reasons to change eating habits.

• Require plant based options at school meals

, as has been petitioned for in: Kent.

• Reduce meat content of meals, and introduce Meat Free Monday

, as in: Sutton.

• Introduce a weekly plant based day and daily plant based options

, as in: Oxfordshire, Leeds (further information).

• Suggest plant based school food on the council website

, as in: Epping Forest.

• Enable children to help create plant based school menus, or recieve a cooking workshops

, as in the Green School Menu League winning Waltham Forest.

Business

These plant based business resources could help local plant based businesses. The Vegan Society also suggested rates reductions.

• Promote plant based business accelerator programs

, such as Growing Kent and Medway (which is funded by the central government).

• Use blogs to promote plant based markets

, as in: Sevenoaks, Gravesend, Horsham, Maldon, Colchester.

• Use blogs to promote other plant based businesses

, as in: Richmond, Lambeth.

• Help farmers transition to plant based farming

, as was recommended by Animal Aid and other organisations. The Vegan Society produced a report called Planting Value in the Food System about policies which could make farming more sustainable. Inclusive Responsibility is a similar book.

Communication

A Kent Council survey found that residents needed more information to understand the environmental impacts of meat and dairy. The Vegan Society's Plate Up for the Planet campaign explains the environmental benefits of plant based eating.

These websites can help residents try plant based food for one month: Vegan Society app, Animal Aid website and emails, Viva app, Veganuary website and emails, Plant Based Health Professionals emails, The Vegan Approach website.

• Public space advert ban

Harlem in Holland has banned meat adverts from public spaces.

• Commit to raising awareness

, as in: Faversham.

• Run informal education events about plant based food

, as has been discussed in Sevenoaks and Hackney.

• Include plant based food on web pages about climate emergency responses

, as in: Sevenoaks, Swale, Andur and Worthing, Mole Valley, Barnet, Greenwich, Southwark, Islington, Camden, Basildon, Chelmsford, Epping Forest, Uttlesford, Dacorum, st Albans.

• Include plant based food on web pages about healthy eating

, as in: Horsham, Surrey Heath. Furthermore, a quarter of UK adults now eat less meat to save money.

• Include plant based food in council magazines and newsletters

, as in: Southwark.

• Design and display posters, leaflets, and videos about plant based food

, as seen in Islington and other boroughs.

• Include Veganuary in communications plans

, as in: Merton, Basildon, Welwyn and Hatfield, Haywards Heath.

• Meat reduction support email series

, as in: Eastleigh

Libraries

Visit pages about a children's Veganuary library display, related picture books, books for adults and parents.

• Include plant based books as part of climate emergency library book recommendation lists

, as in: Islington.

• Make Veganuary library books displays

, as in many parts of the country. There was a children's one in Islington.

Staff network

The Vegan Society has advice about supporting vegans in the workplace.

• Members of staff establish a snaff network

, as in Suffolk.

• Local councillors can lobby members of their own party in central government