Who knew that stopping climate change could be so delicious? Vegan restaurants seem to be springing up everywhere along the West coast, so it was inevitable that fast food chains would follow, but increasingly their message is that eating lower on the food chain is not only healthy and delicious – but could well be the most effective way to stop global warming gases from destroying the planet. While the zeitgeist around global warming seems to have a singular focus on energy and transportation and the threat of carbon dioxide – it is not commonly understood that our industrial food systems (particularly with meat at the center) produce more global warming gases than all transportation combined. Loving Hut's message is: Be veg, go green 2 save the planet Saving the planet is the core message of a new chain of international vegan restaurants (now the largest vegan chain in the world) called Loving Hut. Patrick Nguyen, Owner/Manager of Loving Hut in the international district of Seattle says, “The number one thing anyone can do to cut global warming gases is to remove animal products from their diet. The customers are really touched by how healthy and tasteful compassion and respect for life can be. Loving Hut is an inspiration for many people to consider changing their diet in order to save the planet.” Scientific data shows a direct link between diet and global warming Perhaps Mr. Nguyen is correct. According to Gidon Eshel and Pamela Martin, assistant professors in geophysical sciences at the University of Chicago “The food that people eat is just as important as what kind of cars they drive when it comes to creating the greenhouse-gas emissions that many scientists have linked to global warming….The average American diet requires the production of an extra ton and a half of carbon dioxide-equivalent, in the form of actual carbon dioxide as well as methane and other greenhouse gases compared to a strictly vegetarian diet….We say that however close you can be to a vegan diet and further from the mean American diet, the better you are for the planet.” Their data is also supported by the Worldwatch Institute and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization – so maybe there is something to this. Former McDonald's executive opens “vegan friendly” chain Even former executives of McDonald's are getting in on the action. Mike Roberts, former president and COO of McDonald's restaurants has just announced that he and some investment partners will be opening the first in a chain of 250 “vegan friendly” restaurants this summer called LYFE (“Love Your Food Everyday”). With the first opening in Palo Alto, California this summer – LYFE is being planned to incorporate eco-friendly and local sourcing into every aspect of their business. How much of their menu will be totally vegan remains to be seen – but the trend toward earth friendly healthy vegan restaurants is definitely the latest “new thing.” ** Pamela Millar has also been active social entrepreneur for more than twenty years. Pamela has spent the past ten years as a passionate advocate for environmental education on the increasing threat of global warming. She has served as consultant for UCLA's Green Technology Institute, the California Nanotechnology Institute, and the Green Valley Initiative of greater Los Angeles. Read more from Millar here
