Follow the science and plate up for the planet

Science has arguably been one of the strongest themes of the last year. From the great Covid-19 vaccine race to William Shatner becoming the oldest person to fly to space.

Yet when it comes to the proven and positive effects veganism has on the environment, so many are still reluctant to listen. That’s why The Vegan Society is asking you to follow the science and Plate Up for the Planet.

Time and time again scientific research shows that animal agriculture and animal products are disastrous for the planet in so many ways. We know that cutting out animal products from your diet is the single most effective action an individual can take to help fight climate change.

The average annual amount of CO2 emitted by typical UK diets:

Meat-eater – 2,055 kg

Vegetarian – 1,391 kg

• Vegan – 1,055 kg[1]

More than 21,817 people have already pledged to give veganism a go as part of The Vegan Society’s Plate Up for the Planet campaign. Between them they have saved 320,710Kg of CO2, the equivalent of 1.8 million washing machine cycles or 1.67Km on a long-haul flight.

Andrew Barnes, Campaigns Project Manager at The Vegan Society, said: “Time is running out – we desperately need to follow the science when it comes to the food on our plates. We’re always told to change our light bulbs, cycle to work or take shorter showers but the huge carbon footprint of animal agriculture is largely ignored. In fact, most people are surprised to hear that you can cut your carbon emissions by 50% just by updating your plate and following a vegan diet.”

“The Vegan Society wants to address this pressing issue with our Plate Up for the Planet campaign which encourages people to think differently about what they eat and how it impacts our planet. Going vegan is one of the most significant things an individual can do to help combat climate change and protect our natural world.”

The relaunch of Plate Up for the Planet comes just weeks ahead of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow. The Vegan Society is working hard to get food and farming on the agenda as currently animal agriculture, such a large contributor to global carbon emissions, is omitted from the discussions.

Want to get involved? You can pledge to Plate Up by filling out this simple form and we’ll be in touch with lots of low-carbon recipes.