On Friday, May 22, seven students from Newton North and South High Schools met with Mayor Marc Laredo to ask his support for the Plant Based Treaty and more plant-based meals in school cafeterias. The students, joined by Kimmy Cushman of Plant Based Treaty and Marcia Cooper of Green Newton, explained that plant-based eating is an environmental issue.
“Plant-based foods have a much smaller environmental footprint than meat and dairy, especially for its greenhouse gas emissions and in terms of water use, soil quality, and land use from deforestation,” said Alicia Qiu, a junior at Newton North. “This is a really important issue for us youth because we need change at a systemic level through the support of our city leaders; where our Newton city government can be a part of a larger global change for the health of our planet.”
The students, led by Ms. Qiu, presented Mayor Laredo with a petition signed by over 50 Newton high school students urging Newton to take climate action and be a global leader by joining 70 cities worldwide endorsing the Plant Based Treaty. The petition states:
A plant-based diet is recognized as one of the most effective individual actions to improve global sustainability with research showing that plant-based diets generally have 25% of the environmental impact of high-meat diets. Animal agriculture is responsible for 70% of global deforestation and produces 1/3 of the world’s methane emissions which has a global warming impact 28X greater than carbon dioxide.
Nearby cities like Somerville and Cambridge have already endorsed, showing a commitment to creating more sustainable food systems. By joining them, Newton could lead by example and help bring food systems to the forefront of the fight against climate change.
Kimmy Cushman, campaigner and scientific advisor for Plant Based Treaty, explained that the Plant Based Treaty is a global grassroots movement in which local teams all over the world are working to educate their communities and implement sustainable local food policies such as serving plant-based food by default at city events. “We encourage community members, businesses, organizations, and governments to endorse our global vision for the negotiation of a Plant Based Treaty that would outline a sustainable and just shift toward plant-based food systems,” Ms. Cushman said. “We are hopeful that Newton will be the next city to officially endorse the Plant Based Treaty and join Cambridge and Somerville who endorsed it this year.”
Marcia Cooper told Mayor Laredo that Green Newton, a local nonprofit dedicated to creating an environment in better balance with the natural world, has endorsed the Plant Based Treaty because the organization recognizes the connection between animal agriculture and the increase in greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation. Ms. Cooper, a Board member and President Emerita of Green Newton, explained, “Green Newton is working to inform more residents about this issue and is promoting the nutritional and environmental benefits of choosing plant-based foods. We hope to collaborate with city leaders to help inform and encourage residents to eat more plant-based meals.”
Green Newton recently launched a Green Plate Committee devoted to this issue, and it offers free plant-based coaching by volunteers who are experienced with plant-based eating. A list of Newton restaurants that provide a vegan-specific menu or have at least three plant-based main meals on their menu is available on the Green Newton website.
While there is much work to be done, Ms. Qiu and her fellow students are optimistic. “There are already many simple steps we can take towards a more sustainable food system, such as having the high schools offer more flavorful, hot, plant-based lunch options,” said Ms. Qiu. She is already working with Chartwells, the provider of school lunches in Newton, and points out that plant-based meals are served every day in the Brookline Public Schools.
But Ms. Qiu recognizes that just changing the cafeteria menu is not enough.
“I really hope that the City of Newton will endorse the Plant Based Treaty and make some system-wide changes so that plant-based foods become more a part of normal life for everyone in Newton,” Ms. Qiu said. “Right now, it seems like meat and dairy is the norm where you have to ask for plant-based food, when I think it should really be the other way around. I do truly hope that we can implement these action items from the Plant Based Treaty since Newton is already doing so many great sustainable initiatives, and I’m very thankful that Mayor Laredo took his time to meet with me and the other students to hear our perspectives.”
After the meeting, Mayor Laredo told Fig City News, “I applaud the leadership and advocacy of Newton’s high school students for raising awareness about the environmental benefits of plant-based eating and for engaging thoughtfully on important climate issues. I look forward to continued conversations about expanding healthy, sustainable food options in the Newton Public Schools, and city programs as part of our broader commitment to environmental sustainability and community health.”
Julia Huston is a member of Green Newton’s Green Plate Committee.