Support the Sustainable Development Goals by Eating Plant-Based

Author: Ashini Modi

Editor: Sophie Wiener

Plant-Based Recipe: Sara Oberle

This Monday marks the beginning of the United Nations (UN) Climate Week. Every year the world’s most influential leaders come to New York City to discuss how we can combat climate change. The first UN Climate Week took place in 2009 and since then has made strides to reverse the damage we have done to our planet. This summit takes place alongside the UN General Assembly meetings which started on September 15, 2020. Therefore, this week it is paramount that we begin to inform ourselves about the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) also known as the Global Goals.

Look out for these banners on campus this week!

The 17 SDGs are a call for action to all of us to help make our planet a better place for all. These goals tackle a wide range of subjects from ending poverty, ensuring better education, making healthcare accessible, and tackling climate change. If we work to incorporate the messages spread by these goals in our daily lives, we can make a more resilient society. Everyone can contribute to making sure these goals are met, and in this blog post we will discuss how you can support 4 of these goals just by going plant-based.

The first SDG we will discuss is number 13: Climate Action. Animal agriculture is responsible for close to 40% of our Greenhouse gases. As greenhouse gases are released

into our atmosphere, they trap more and more heat within our atmosphere and contribute to rising temperatures, rising sea levels, and an increase in natural disasters. Not only do the methane from animal waste and the CO2 emissions from factory farms contribute to an increase in Greenhouse gases, but the deforestation that is the result of animal farming reduces the amount of O2 in our atmosphere. This is a vicious cycle that can only be stopped if we cut down the meat in our diets.

We can also fight for SDG number 2, Zero Hunger, by going more plant-based. Did you know that 870 million people on our planet at this very moment are suffering from hunger

right now because there isn’t enough food to go around? Well, there actually is enough food to go around. Statistically, we already grow enough crops to feed not only our current human population but the population that is projected for 2050! It's just that 50% of the grains produced in the world right now are being fed to livestock... livestock that will eventually be slaughtered for meat and sold in our grocery stores. According to an analysis published in the Los Angeles Times, we could feed all 327 million Americans, plus 390 million more people, simply by going vegan.

The most direct SDG we can fulfill by going vegan is number 3: Good Health and Wellbeing. There is growing evidence that a plant-based diet can have benefits like lower blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and healthy weight loss. By improving these health measures it reduces our risk for diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and even some mental health issues. The idea that fruits and veggies are good for our bodies is so ingrained in us that we never give it a second thought, but what about them makes them so good for us? The essential nutrients that come with plants work to combat inflammation in our bodies every single time we eat them. We call these phytochemicals and micronutrients and they go around in our bodies neutralizing the harmful toxins (known as free radicals) that come from processed and unhealthy foods. Andrea Murray, MD Anderson health education specialist says that “We just have to eat plants. They are so important for our body’s long term health.” It's that simple, go more plant-based and live a healthier and happier life.

The last SDG that I want to discuss is number 14: Life Below Water. Our oceans are being overfished and emptied of life. According to the UN, 80% of our world’s fish species are

considered fully exploited or in some cases overexploited. This overfishing will have a devastating impact on the biodiversity of our fish populations. Our oceans are far from an inexhaustible resource which is why we need to be conscious that we are using it wisely and our marine ecosystems are extremely fragile so we have to make sure we are handling them carefully. Land-based animal agriculture also hurts our oceans. The by-products of animal agricultural operations such as pesticides, fertilizers, and antibiotics, flow into our runoff and eventually into our oceans. This contributes to massive dead zones-- areas in our oceans that are filled with so many toxic chemicals that they can no longer support marine life. So for our oceans--the place that so many species call home--eat more plant-based foods.

There are numerous SDGs--such as sustainable cities and communities (11), life on land (15), responsible consumption and production (12), and clean water and sanitation (6)--that being vegan can help support. However, I hope this article inspires you to do some more research of your own and hopefully try and take on a plant-based diet. There is this quote by Jimit Panchal that I love: “Nature is a miracle we depend upon.” Right now she is depending on us.

Other resources:

Grass-fed milk: https://maplehill.com

Organic/grass-fed yogurt: https://www.stonyfield.com/

Local farm suppliers: Mahaffey Farms, Cotton Street Farms, Sample Farm, Shady Grove, Shreveport Farmers Market

Documentary: https://fusion.tv/show/food-exposed-with-nelufar-hedayat/

Find your carbon footprint: https://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.asp

Works Cited

The Global Goals, www.globalgoals.org/.

MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Heather Alexander. “5 Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet.” MD Anderson Cancer Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 10 Dec. 2019, www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/5-benefits-of-a-plant-based-diet.h20-1592991.html#:~:text=Plants are high in fiber.&text=Eating a plant-based diet,great for good bowel management.

“New Study: Go Vegan and Help End World Hunger.” PETA Prime, 14 Aug. 2018, prime.peta.org/2013/08/hunger/#:~:text=For years, PETA has been,world hunger would virtually disappear.&text=It takes about 13 pounds,a single pound of meat.

Schmidt, Megan. “What Science Says About the Health Benefits of Plant-Based Diets.” Discover Magazine, Discover Magazine, 20 July 2020, www.discovermagazine.com/health/what-science-says-about-the-health-benefits-of-plant-based-diets.

Society, Sea Shepherd Conservation. “Why You Should Go Vegan for the Oceans This Earth Day.” One Green Planet, One Green Planet, 29 Oct. 2018, www.onegreenplanet.org/environment/why-you-should-go-vegan-for-the-oceans-this-earth-day/.

“Want to End World Hunger? Hello, Veganism!” Mercy For Animals, 27 July 2018, mercyforanimals.org/want-to-end-world-hunger-hello-veganism.

PLANT-BASED RECIPE OF THE WEEK