A diet that’s as good for you as it is for the planet
If the world eats in a way that’s as healthful for people as it is for the planet, it could cut food-related greenhouse-gas emissions in half and prevent some 40,000 premature deaths a day. That’s not a typo. It’s the finding from the newest EAT-Lancet report, a flagship assessment of the world’s food systems. What’s on that menu? The report sets out what’s known as the planetary health diet (PHD), which can include some animal products but advises eaters to focus mostly on chowing down on more veggies, fruits, nuts, legumes, and whole grains. (Check out a caloric breakdown here.) The world’s wealthiest 30% are responsible for 70% of food-related emissions, mostly due to eating an excess of meat and dairy: The U.S. and Canada, the report found, eat seven times the PHD’s recommended amount of red meat. The livestock industry is, predictably, displeased: Since the first version of the diet came out in 2019, the livestock industry has made it a target, often funding social-media influencers who promote meat-heavy diets.
What you can do: Even if you don’t ditch meat entirely, consider recasting it in a supporting role instead of as the lead. The amount the PHD allows for is small, so if you follow it to the letter that means using meat for flavor more than for food—think about things like bacon bits on salads, the rendered pancetta that starts an Amitriciana. If you’re considering a full-on swap, here are four classics that trade meat for plants.
The lone plant-based star at the Texas state fair
For the first time in 139 years, a vegan food stall is setting up shop at the Texas State Fair. The annual event is well-known for being a belt-loosening, artery-testing affair, with its miles-long paths of vendors offering such over-the-top treats as cotton candy–encased bacon, deviled egg cheeseburger sliders, and deep-fried versions of everything from birria tacos to fireball whiskey shots. Now, Vegan Vibrationz, an eatery out of Plano, Texas, will be slinging their plant-based chickun sandwiches, crunch wraps, and more, according to VegNews. While the fair has welcomed plenty of vendors in the past that have some plant-based and vegetarian menu options, Vegan Vibrationz is the first with an all plant-based menu.
What you can do: Ogle the full menu of their Plano-based restaurant here. If you start to feel jealous, take it as inspiration to try out some mock-meat or dairy-free recipes at home, like this crispy katsu sandwich, this pulled ‘pork’ number, or this sweet potato mac and ‘cheese.’
The shutdown puts climate in the crosshairs
The Federal government shutdown is set to further weaken environmental protection and conservation. During a shutdown, most functions deemed nonessential come to a standstill, which means the already diminished EPA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will be unable to carry out anything beyond their most essential duties. But the harm could be even more widespread, reports Inside Climate News. While some 90% of the EPA’s staff are furloughed, the administration could use the shutdown as cover for layoffs that would cripple the agency’s enforcement, regulatory, and research activity even once the government is open. “The goal seems to be to remove the expertise and the experience necessary to implement our federal environmental protection laws,” Jeremy Symons, a former climate policy advisor for the Environmental Protection Agency, said last Monday. NOAA faces similarly severe constraints, with remaining staff limited to issuing weather warnings, while much research and climate-monitoring work is likely paused. Meanwhile, some fossil fuel permitting and energy development work have been classified as essential and continue during the shutdown, whereas renewable energy projects are being suspended.
What you can do: Scream into the void if you need to. Then, contact your congresspeople and demand a speedy resolution to this shutdown as well as proper expert staffing for environmental agencies. The organization 5Calls can ID your representative and senators, and also has a script for you to follow.
Jane Goodall’s parting message to the world
When Jane Goodall died last week at the age of 91, she was doing what she’d done during much of her twilight years: spreading her message across the world. A recent interview with Goodall, recorded at New York Climate Week, presents it clearly: Humans must rethink our relationship with nature. We aren’t separate from the natural world but a part of it. And despite our intelligence, we’re unable to see that we’re destroying the systems that sustain us. Goodall, who died last week at the age of 91, pointed to two outsized drivers of this destruction: industrial agriculture (especially livestock) and the burning of fossil fuels. She decried the world’s obsession with economic growth at all costs, warning that this mindset is pushing the planet toward ecological collapse. Despite the dire tone, Goodall’s message was sprinkled with hope, emphasizing that we already know many of the solutions but that the window for action is closing quickly. Her final words were a call to humility, responsibility, and courage—qualities she exemplified in her long, conscience-driven life.
What you can do: Celebrate her life. Follow her lead. And watch Famous Last Words: Jane Goodall, a documentary recorded earlier this year. It was just released on Netflix.