This March 20th, World Meatless Day is celebrated, a date that according to the international food awareness organization ProVeg Spain, is a day to raise awareness of the great impact of meat consumption on ourselves, the planet, animals and other people. .
Since 1985, on March 20th, we celebrate World Meatless Day, an event promoted by FARM (Farm Animal Reform Movement) that has been growing every year. The aim is to educate and inspire people to eat a plant-based diet.
Leaving meat aside and prioritizing vegetable proteins is the single most impactful action we can take in our daily lives, even more so than other more popular ones like recycling or switching to a more efficient car.
Why is meat so bad for the planet?
Livestock and animal consumption is one of the main causes of the global climate crisis:
- They are responsible for around 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions.[1]
- They are responsible for the majority of deforestation, 70% of deforested land in the Amazon is used for cattle grazing.
- In Spain, macro-explorations are largely responsible for the contamination of soils and freshwater sources.[2]
The importance of World Meatless Day
A meat-free day can be the first step towards a more sustainable, ethical and healthy diet (meat consumption is associated with lifestyle diseases and some types of cancer), an opportunity to enjoy and try dishes or revenues new, to give plant-based proteins such as tofu, tempeh, or even legumes a chance.
And you, how are you going to celebrate this World Meatless Day? “We often hear or even say ourselves that we can’t achieve anything alone, but that’s not the case, choosing plant-based food means reducing our GHG emissions by 76%, our water footprint by 36% and land use by 62% related to food. That’s a big impact!”, says Verónica Larco, director of communication for ProVeg Spain.
From ProVeg, to commemorate this day and encourage everyone to eat (more) plant-based, the sixth edition of the Meatless Week is launched. “Times change and we are increasingly aware of our impact, so we want our lifestyle to be consistent with it, including our food.says Veronica Larco.
Meatless Week, a challenge for you, for the planet
Therefore, on March 20th, the meatless weeka free 7-day challenge in which people will be able to learn in depth about a different vegetable protein and will receive all kinds of tools:
- A weekly menu with recipes included (gluten-free and soy-free menu available), prepared by the nutritionist of the Spanish Vegetarian Union
- Exclusive recipes from content creators specializing in vegan food (Beatriz Moliz, hi heidy, the vegan pig, nomadic house, Where do I get the protein? It is From lost to vegetarian)
- Infographics to create 100% vegetable, complete and healthy dishes
- Comparative nutritional tables
- Nutritional advice and support from the Spanish Vegetarian Union (official collaborator of ProVeg Meatless Week)
- Price comparison
- Support the community on Telegram
- Access to exclusive sweepstakes
Benefits of giving up meat
Clear health benefits: A diet based on plant products has greater benefits than one focused on animal products. Although high meat consumption poses a serious health risk, a rich and varied plant-based diet can prevent and treat diseases related to our lifestyle, such as some types of cancer, type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure.
A more respectful relationship with animals. One of the main motivations for people to choose a plant-based diet is ethics. Around 80,000 million land animals are killed each year for human consumption, choosing plant-based alternatives helps create a more compassionate world with less suffering.
References:
[1] For. XP Sharma. S. Shu, et al (2021) Global greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods are double those from plant-based foods. Nature Food 2(9) 724-732 doi:10.1038/s43016-021-00358-x
[2] Cerri, CEP, CC Cerri, SMF Maia, MR Cherubin, BJ Feigl & R. Lal (2018): Reducing deforestation in the Amazon through agricultural intensification in the Cerrado to promote food security and mitigate climate change. Sustainability. 10, p.989