Society – Page 2 – vegconomist – the vegan business magazine

JetBlue Airways to Provide Oat Milk as Part of Complimentary Beverage Offerings on Flights

August 5, 2024

US airline JetBlue Airways has announced that oat milk packets are now available as part of the complimentary beverage offerings on its flights. Coffee and tea drinkers can enjoy Lakeland Dairies’ Oat in a Stick milk alternative in their drinks, as JetBlue diversifies its beverage portfolio to cater to customers’ dietary preferences and restrictions. The airline also offers free and unlimited snacks on its flights, with all current options suitable for vegans. The snacks include Popchips Sea Salt, Partake Classic Grahams, Safe + Fair Everything Bagel Pretzels, and Chifles Plantain Chips. On flights longer than two hours, passengers can order the Mediterranean-inspired SavorUp snack box, which is vegan and certified kosher. The box contains hummus, multigrain tortilla chips, artichokes, olives, and coconut cookies. On flights …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]

Environment-focused rugby match to take place at Richmond Athletic Ground

The Big Green Clash in September Will Be a “Networking Goldmine” with VIPs Including Heather Mills

August 2, 2024

An event claimed to be the first-ever environment-focused rugby match is set to take place at Richmond Athletic Ground, London, on September 8. Called The Big Green Clash, the event is spearheaded by Green Gazelles, who are said to be the world’s first earth-friendly and plant-powered rugby team. The invitational club has over 250 members and aims to promote sustainability and compassion for animals through rugby. [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”The Big Green Clash isn’t just a rugby match; it’s a networking goldmine”[/perfectpullquote] Green Gazelles will play against Richmond Rugby, with the winner claiming the Earth Shield. Former professionals and celebrities are expected to make an appearance in the Green Gazelles squad, and the match will raise funds for various environmental causes. …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]

African Vegan on a Budget: Help Spread the Plant-Based Message in Africa

September 6, 2024July 31, 2024

Zimbabwean influencer Chef Cola has a deep passion for plant-based cooking – and is using her expertise to bring her African Vegan on a Budget programme to people all over Africa. As a ProVeg grantee, Chef Cola has made sustainable plant-based programmes available across Zimbabwe. Now, with African Vegan on a Budget, she is ready to broadcast her message across Africa by giving people from all over the continent the tools and knowledge they need to integrate plant-based eating into their lifestyles. You can support Chef Cola and African Vegan on a Budget by making a contribution to ProVeg Grants. Since launching in 2019, the programme has provided more than 900 grants to organisations and individuals in over 90 countries working to change the global …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]

number of schoolchildren standing in front of their school building

Help Organisations Like the Uganda Vegan Society Bring More Plant-Based Meals to Schools

September 6, 2024July 31, 2024

The Uganda Vegan Society provides nutritious plant-based meals to a growing number of schoolchildren, with its Vegan Lunch Campaign focusing on the importance of making conscious choices that positively impact the world. The Uganda Vegan Society receives financial support and technical expertise from ProVeg Grants. With your help, more organisations like the Uganda Vegan Society can provide more plant-based meals to more schools. Since launching in 2019, the ProVeg Grants programme has provided more than 900 grants to organisations and individuals in over 90 countries working to change the global food system. By making a donation, you can reach, support, and empower organisations like the Uganda Vegan Society. Be part of the plant-based expansion and support ProVeg Grants by clicking here. Every contribution you make will …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]

Vegius plant-based travel and lifestyle app

Vegius Launches $120K Crowdfunding Campaign for App That Could “Revolutionize Plant-Based Travel”

July 25, 2024

Vegius, an app that aims to connect plant-based travel and lifestyle enthusiasts with vegan options across the globe, has announced a crowdfunding campaign on Wefunder. The team behind the app, which was previously called The Vegan Stay, hopes to raise $120,000. Powered by AI, Vegius already offers accommodation in over 30 countries and can provide personalized deals and suggestions. The team hopes to expand this significantly, making it easier for vegans and vegetarians to find accommodation, eateries, and experiences that align with their values. The app also helps small vegan businesses to gain more exposure. Additionally, for every booking made through the app, up to 50% of fees collected are donated to animal sanctuaries. Currently, Vegius has partnerships with 125 sanctuaries across 40 countries. Catering …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]

Supplied by Louise Johansen

Op Ed: Louise Johansen, Vegetarian Society of Denmark – Can Other Nations Follow Denmark’s Plant-Based Lead?

September 6, 2024July 25, 2024

Louise Johansen is a sociologist and the Head of Programmes at The Vegetarian Society of Denmark. She is dedicated to transforming the food system, working alongside her colleagues in Denmark and abroad to enhance access to healthy and affordable plant-based and organic foods. In this guest post, Louise discusses Denmark’s Plant-Based Food Grant and Action Plan for Plant-Based Foods, exploring how other countries might follow Denmark’s example in promoting plant-based and organic food initiatives. After Denmark’s Plant-Based Food Grant and Action Plan for Plant-Based Foods: Can Other Countries Follow Its Example? In October 2021 the Danish government announced a green transition agreement for food and agriculture supported by almost all political parties in the parliament, and which entailed some groundbreaking plant-based initiatives and funding. These …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]

Team of Lviv Vegan Kitchen in front of their building

Project Update: Vegan Meals For Refugees in Ukraine

July 25, 2024July 22, 2024

vegconomist has been supporting the Lviv Vegan Kitchen project since April 2022. The Lviv Vegan Kitchen team provided Ukrainian war refugees and soldiers with vegan meals. To date, with the help of our readers and the matching grant from the Karuna Foundation, which doubled every donation up to the sum of 20,000 US dollars, we have been able to raise a total of €44,600 for Lviv Vegan Kitchen. Project Update: Lviv Vegan Kitchen Ends Refugee Aid – Support for Vegan Soldiers Continues The following changes have led to Lviv Vegan Kitchen’s decision to terminate all processes related to refugee support: Their chef joined the armed forces Difficulties in recruiting employees (this is a problem faced by all Ukrainian employers; there are literally fewer and fewer …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]

A new study about masculinity and veganism found that using masculine language to describe vegan dishes sparked men's interest in this type of food.

University Canteen Sees Sustained Drop in Meat Consumption Weeks After Meat-Free Month

July 22, 2024

In May, the Studierendenwerk (student’s office) at Germany’s University of Bonn declared a meat-free month in its Hofgarten canteen. Up to eight weeks after the experiment ended, researchers saw a surprising result — sales of main meal components containing meat remained 7-12% lower than they were before the meat-free month. According to a working paper published by the researchers, many students and staff members were pleasantly surprised by the meat-free dishes, discovering new options that they enjoyed. Consequently, they opted to order these meals again in the following weeks, indicating that even a short-term intervention can lead to significant behaviour change. Around half of people surveyed following the experiment said they would be happy to have one meat-free month per year, while 75% were in …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]

Plant FWD 2024 by Fitchd, image courtesy Nederland Veganland

What Happens to Society if We Only Eat Plants? A Dutch Thought Experiment

July 12, 2024July 12, 2024

What if we only eat plants? When a scientist and a landscape architect work together on future challenges, you get the project The Vegan Netherlands (Project Nederland Veganland). And they might have solved the housing problem… This guest post has been kindly contributed by landscape architect Berno Strootman, one of the people who researched how The Netherlands could be self-sufficient regarding food. Interestingly, and notably, in this hypothetical utopia, society would actually need more farmers. “According to our calculations, we need twice as many farmers in a fully plant-based system than in the present one,” Strootman explains. This is what happens if we only eat plants By Berno Strootman Suppose: everyone eats plant-based food and the import of animal fodder comes to a halt. How …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]

Petition calls for standardised labelling of vegan and vegetarian foods in New Zealand

Image: NZ Vegetarian Society

Petition Calls for Standardised Labelling of Vegan & Vegetarian Products in New Zealand

July 8, 2024

The NZ Vegetarian Society (NZVS) and the Vegan Society of Aotearoa have partnered to launch a petition advocating clear and standardised labelling for vegan and vegetarian foods in New Zealand. The organisations are calling on the government to implement legislation to prevent consumer confusion, following an increase in the use of terms such as “plant-based” or “less dairy” for products that may contain animal ingredients. They argue that ambiguous labelling impacts not just vegans and vegetarians but also allergy sufferers and people who avoid certain foods for religious reasons. The petition says that products marked “vegan” must be completely free of animal-derived ingredients, while vegetarian products should not contain meat, seafood, or other ingredients resulting from animal slaughter (such as gelatine or rennet). Additionally, if …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]

Young couple eating burger outdoors, APA

Image courtesy of APA

Study: What Influences Gen Z Consumers to Adopt Plant-Based Eating Patterns?

July 4, 2024

A study published in the journal Foods has examined the factors that affect the willingness of Gen Z consumers to adopt plant-based diets. The research questioned over 500 university students in Greece, India, and the UK. Most Greek and British students were responsible for their own meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking, whereas Indian students tended to live with relatives and were less likely to prepare their own meals. Almost half of Indian students (46.5%) were receptive to the idea of shifting to a plant-based diet, possibly due to the country’s strong tradition of vegetarianism. However, just 14.4% of Greeks and 19.6% of Brits were open to the idea. Taste and nutrition 39.4% of respondents thought that plant-based products were too expensive, while 32.8% believed …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]

Darebin Becomes 1st Australian Council to Endorse the Plant Based Treaty with 8 Votes Against 1

July 2, 2024July 2, 2024

Darebin Council recently passed a motion becoming the first Australian council to endorse the global Plant Based Treaty having been overwhelmingly accepted with eight votes in favour and just one against the motion. The organisation advocates for a shift towards a plant-based food system, calling for a global agreement that aligns the food system to the Paris Agreement, along with the implementation of best practices in plant-based food policy at the city and institutional levels. The proposed treaty has been endorsed by 30 cities, including Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, and recently, Belfast. It has thus far generated support from 150,000 individual endorsers, 5 Nobel laureates, IPCC scientists, and more than 3000 groups and businesses, including The Australian Vegetarian Society (NSW), Animals Australia, Animal Justice Party …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]

West Hollywood Implements Plant-Based Default for City Events

June 26, 2024

The City of West Hollywood has passed a new resolution requiring that plant-based food and beverages be served by default at city-sponsored events and meetings. The policy allows for the availability of animal products only upon request. Vice Mayor Chelsea Lee Byers spearheaded the initiative, which aims to promote sustainable and compassionate food choices while addressing environmental concerns. The West Hollywood City Council’s decision was influenced by the perceived harmful environmental impacts of the factory farming industry. [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”Mercy For Animals commends the City of West Hollywood’s commitment to serving plant-based food by default”[/perfectpullquote] Mercy For Animals, an advocacy group that collaborated closely with the city on this policy, praised the decision. “Mercy For Animals calls for a shift …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]

Western Oregon University Commits to 50% Plant-Based Meals by 2027

June 11, 2024

Western Oregon University (WOU) has announced its commitment to transitioning 50% of campus dining options to plant-based meals by 2027. This initiative, part of the Forward Food Pledge, is in collaboration with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The university, the oldest public institution in Oregon, intends to offer a more inclusive dining experience, featuring globally inspired whole food and plant-based dishes to cater to its diverse student body. Currently, 29% of meals served on campus are plant-based, and WOU’s sustainable dining program includes composting food waste, using reusable to-go containers, and sourcing local foods when possible. [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”Working […] where you’re preparing people for their future, we must also ensure the future is a place they …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]

Heather Mills leads protest in the dining hall at the Bonn Climate Conference(

Heather Mills Causes a Stir with Impromptu Vegan Protest at Bonn Climate Conference

June 7, 2024June 7, 2024

Vegan activist and founder of VBites, Heather Mills, recently named Woman of the Year at this year’s Vegan Women Summit, previously announced she was to appear at the Bonn Climate Conference to call for a global Plant Based Treaty and hand out 2000 free VBites hotdogs. During the event in Germany this week, Mills together with around a dozen climate activists began an impromptu protest inside the dining hall while delegates and UN officials queued for their lunch, with chants of, “If you care about the climate, eat vegan for your lunch” and “Food system change now, sign the Plant Based Treaty.” [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “…why is he not talking about the real issue; production of meat, fish and dairy …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]

close up woman chewing Dévore food NUGGS

“But Avocados Are Bad”: Study Examines Excuses and Justifications Consumers Use to Avoid Cutting Out Meat

June 5, 2024

A study conducted by scientists at the University of Copenhagen has examined the “excuses and justifications” used by participants to legitimise their reluctance to reduce their meat consumption. While all participants agreed that eating less meat was important for the climate, many quickly began deploying various excuses to explain why they could not do so. Some labelled vegans as extremists, or said their partner insisted on eating meat. Others used inaccurate arguments, insisting that they had a biological need for meat or that meatless meals are less filling. Some even cast doubt on whether the climate footprint of meat is as large as it is claimed to be, despite an abundance of evidence. Derailing the conversation Many participants also attempted to shift the focus away …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]

sacrifice nothing add for the vegetarian butcher

LSG Group & The Vegetarian Butcher Partner to Bring Plant-Based Meat to Onboard Dining

May 29, 2024

The LSG Group and The Vegetarian Butcher have announced a new partnership to introduce plant-based and vegan meals in airline catering. Through the collaboration, the LSG Group will offer its customers the ability to cater to vegetarians, flexitarian, and meat-loving passengers using The Vegetarian Butcher’s broad range of plant-based products that “allow people to continue to enjoy their favorite meat dishes without giving up the taste or texture.” Growing trend of plant-based diets The LSG Group is a leading provider of end-to-end onboard products and services. Its brand, LSG Sky Chefs, a classic catering and hospitality expert serving airline and train customers, delivers an impressive 308 million meals annually in 131 locations worldwide. The Vegetarian Butcher is currently joining LSG Sky Chefs at the ongoing …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]

Lancaster University votes for plant-based catering

Lancaster University Students’ Union Votes for Fully Plant-Based Catering With Huge 95% Majority

May 21, 2024May 21, 2024

The Students’ Union at Lancaster University in the north of England has passed a motion to transition to 100% plant-based catering across campus. In a vote, the motion was supported by a huge 95% of the members present, after being backed by student campaigners and academics. It proposes a gradual transition, with a target of 50% plant-based catering by 2025 and 100% by 2027. Lancaster is the twelfth UK Students’ Union to vote for plant-based catering, along with others at the University of Kent, the University of Stirling, the University of Cambridge, and more. All have made the commitment as part of Plant-Based Universities, a campaign by animal and climate justice movement Animal Rising that is now active at over 80 universities worldwide. “We are …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]

Image courtesy of No Meat May

No Meat May Celebrates Twelfth Year With a Record Breaking 76,000 Signups

May 17, 2024

No Meat May, an annual campaign challenging participants to give up meat for 31 days, is celebrating its twelfth year. The campaign has seen a record-breaking 76,000 signups in 2024, with many more people believed to be taking part unofficially. This is a 33% increase compared to 2023, indicating that interest in plant-based diets continues to rise. Over a million people have taken part in No Meat May since it was founded in 2013. While the UK, the USA, Canada, and Australia see the largest numbers of participants, signups come from over 60 countries worldwide. The campaign has attracted celebrity endorsers such as Dame Joanna Lumley, Fearne Cotton, and Jasmine Harman. “Why not give it a try? Day by day, go without meat, or cut …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]

Support Plant-Based Cooking Workshops in African Schools

September 6, 2024May 10, 2024

The Animal Welfare and Environment Network for Tanzania (AWENET) raises awareness in Tanzanian schools about the environmental and health benefits of plant-based eating. The organisation has made Meatless Mondays and Fridays possible in schools, while their Vegan School Lunches Outreach Programme aims to reach 12,000 students this year – all made possible thanks to the support of ProVeg Grants. Your donation to ProVeg Grants will help organisations like AWENET to expand their plant-based school food programmes, thus impacting hundreds of catering staff and thousands of students. Since launching in 2019, ProVeg Grants has provided more than 900 grants to organisations and individuals in over 90 countries working to change the global food system. Every contribution you make reaches, supports, and empowers organisations around the world. …

[taxopress_postterms id="2"]