People were inspired to take collective action to protect the Earth on the first Earth Day in 1970, after the preventable tragedy of a massive oil spill along the Santa Barbara coast killed thousands of seabirds, dolphins and sea lions in 1969.
I was born into that energetic decade of environmental legislation and campaigns to save the whales and protect the polar bears. How do I explain to my son, then, that a half-century later we’re still fighting those old fights — and many new ones?
Despite years of effort, activists are still trying to wrestle our food system out of the hands of the massive agribusiness corporations that are driving wild species toward extinction, making people sick, polluting the planet, and expanding food insecurity.
What life will be like for all to come, including our children and grandchildren, depends on what we do right now.
Which brings me to the importance of advocating for sustainable food this Earth Day.
One thing food activists can do to build a better tomorrow is influence food policies in our own communities. A great recent example is Los Angeles County’s landmark new policy that mandates a comprehensive shift toward plant-based food procurement. This type of low-emissions food procurement policy is modeled successfully elsewhere in cities and universities, including New York City’s public hospitals, which have reduced costs and lowered greenhouse gas emissions by offering more plant-based menus. Read my public comment in support of Los Angeles County’s motion.
Get Active for the Planet
Get vocal in your community by urging local restaurants, schools, hospitals and even wildlife-themed venues such as zoos and aquariums to add more plant-based options to their menus.
At local grocery stores, reach out to the manager about reducing food waste and adopting responsible food-purchasing policies.
And take action online to tell all U.S. grocery stores: Stop selling avocados sourced in ways that devastate forests, harm human rights, and push monarch butterflies closer to extinction.
Set up meetings with local food policy councils and city representatives and urge them to set targets for food-based emissions reductions in their climate and food action plans and commit to doubling plant-based options over the next few years.
If you’re attending an Earth Day celebration, encourage the organizers to promote the benefits of plant-based diets and make sure Earth Day event food trucks prioritize plant-based foods.
You can also eat for the planet this Earth Day by cooking up a plant-based meal to help reduce demand for meat and dairy products. Check out our Earth-friendly recipes to get started.
Shifting Diets for the Wild
For our part this Earth Day — and every day — the Center for Biological Diversity is fighting for a just and sustainable food system that’s better for wildlife, people and the planet. One way we’re doing that is by debunking “climate-smart” claims in the agricultural industry that undermine real climate action, especially with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its multibillion-dollar Partnerships for Climate Smart Agriculture program. We’re exposing the program’s foundation in weak science and lack of transparency, and drawing attention to how so much money goes right back to the biggest corporate polluters.
Meanwhile we’re urging the USDA to stop ignoring what we eat by addressing consumption-based emissions and advancing sustainability in the national dietary guidelines where the United States sorely lags behind other nations.
Stay tuned for more updates on the work we’re doing to move toward a wilder world and better, sustainable food.
Until next time, enjoy Earth Day.
For the wild,
