Earth Month ushers in two plant-based summits
Apr 15, 2021 – “The coronavirus is a clear warning shot that humans must live away from animal exploitation,” said Joanne Kong of the University of Richmond, at the Plant-Based Climate Summit, held online April 1. “Seventy-five percent of emerging diseases can be traced to animals.” To stop this devastation to the environment, we must use proactive, preventive actions, she said.
Kong and other summit presenters then proceeded to show how changing policies and personal actions could decrease the carbon imprint on our planet and increase the medical health of most earthlings. The summit was hosted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine(PCRM).
Kong, Emma Finn of Friends of the Earth, Naeema Muhammad of the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network(NCEJN), Michael Greger of Nutrition Facts, Martin Heller of the University of Michigan, Leslie Duram of Southern Illinois University and Ocean Robbins of the Food Revolution Network focused on policy changes.
Duram and Robbins pointed out that the U.S. subsidy programs for corn, soy and wheat benefit factory farmed animals more than humans. The subsidies drive down market prices and let those foods dominate school lunch program menus. Ultimately, the subsidies lead the poor to nutritional disaster by eating more factory farm products, corn syrup and white bread, Robbins said. He suggested that those subsidies be replaced with ones for fruits, beans and legumes, which are healthier for humans. Those plants pull more carbon out of the soil, so they decrease the risk for climate change.
Heller pointed out that today’s animal agriculture is responsible for 30 percent of greenhouse gases, 90 percent of fresh water consumption around the world, and 38 percent of the decrease in icefree land area. As a result, more animals are dying and becoming extinct. He suggested replacing animal-based foods in our diets with plant-based foods to decrease 24-47 percent of the greenhouse gases.
Finn and Muhammad reported how group action improved the medical health of humans. Muhammad’s NCEJN set up rallies, documented results and photographed damage caused by Smithfield Hams in North Carolina – polluted air, exposed rotting pig carcasses, confining young children inside because of the smell, polluted water. Their testimony finally convinced legislators to restore limits on the company. Finn’s group was able to increase the number of plant-based options in school lunch programs from just peanut butter to other vegetables.
Chef Lois-Ellen Frank of Red Mesa Cuisine, Jenne Claiborne of Sweet Potato Soul and dietitian Maggie Neola of PCRM appealed to individuals by sharing how they personally decreased their carbon imprints. Frank encouraged loving relationships with the land to create edible landscapes that benefit people, animals and plants. She even claimed that adding music would affect the food’s flavor. To decrease food waste’s carbon imprint, Claiborn provided tips for making picked produce last longer; she also suggested recycling food scraps. Neola demonstrated how to decrease climate change by quickly creating a nutritional, plant-based meal from fresh, frozen, canned and processed vegetables.
The presentations can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxzSfiFz3fo .
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Later this month the Food Revolution Network will focus on the different ways that plant-based dieters can benefit the world and themselves. The 10th annual free summit requires registration at www.foodrevolutionsummit.org/?utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=frs-2021&utm_content=pre-summit-entry-optimize . The first eight days, three presenters will cover a theme a day; then on May 2, the network co-founders John and Ocean Robbins will wrap up the summit. The schedule follows:
April 24 – Revolution – How Food Can Change Your Life
Dean Ornish, MD – The Transformative Power of Lifestyle Medicine
Kristi Funk, MD – Cancer-Kicking Superfoods
William Li, MD – Improve Your Immunity & Prevent Disease with Food
April 25 – Health – Ending Chronic Disease
Joel Fuhrman, MD – The Optimal Diet to Beat Chronic Illness
Will Bulsiewicz, MD – The Plant-Fed Gut
Michael Klaper, MD – The Science of Nutrition
April 26 – Brain – How to Optimize Your Brain Health
Susan Peirce Thompson, PhD – Rewiring Your Brain for Food Freedom
Dean and Ayesha Sherzai, MDs – The Best Foods to Prevent Alzheimer’s
David Perlmutter, MD – Lifestyle Strategies for a Healthy Brain
April 27 – Heart – How to Heal Your Heart
Mimi Guarneri, MD – Nourishing Your Whole Heart
Joel Kahn, MD – The Plant-Based Solution to Whole Health
Haile Thomas – Living Lively Through the Power of Plants
April 28 – Inflammation – The Science of Reversing Chronic Inflammation
Brooke Goldner, MD – Healing from Autoimmune Disease
Brenda Davis, RD – What You Must Know About Nutrition
Saray Stancic, MD – 6 Lifestyle Changes to Overcome Chronic Illness
April 29 – Nutrition – The Breakthroughs You Need Now
Neal Barnard, MD – How Food Impacts Your Health & Hormones
Michael Greger, MD, FACLM – The Food-COVID Connection
Milton Mills, MD – What Humans Should Eat
April 30 – Impact – How We Can Heal Our Lives & Our World
Andrew Kimbrell, JD – Your Food and Your Planet
Aysha Akhtar, MD – How Empathy for All Animals Can Change the World
Eric Adams – Turning Pain Into Purpose
May 1 – Wholeness – Wellness for Body, Mind, & Spirit
Adam Sud – Food and Mental Health
Koya Webb – You’re Worth It!
Jane Velez-Mitchell – Action For Compassion.