What’s it all about?

National Vegetarian Week seeks to get the public to swap one meal, or if you’re feeling brave the entire week to vegetarian meals. As a Nation we are trying to reduce our carbon footprint and what better way than with your daily meals. A simple solution to make a difference in the face of climate change is to eat more plant-based foods. By choosing vegetarian meals, we can all have less impact on our wildlife who are affected by the climate crisis.

Why should we care?

A common question is, but why? Simply put our climate, wildlife and entire planet is in danger. A few facts to highlight the impact of climate change may help persuade you into more climate friendly choices.

♦41% of UK species have declined since the 1970’s – National Biodiversity Network, State of Nature Report 2019

♦Green House Gas emissions from Food Processing and Farming represent a third of all global carbon dioxide emissions – Food systems are responsible for a third of global anthropogenic GHG emissions, Nature.com, March 2021

♦Global wildlife population sizes have plummeted by 60% in less than 50 years, and one in six species is at risk of extinction if we fail to act on climate change – Foreword WWF & Buglife 2019 Bees & Climate Report

We all know it’s happening so why not try to reduce your carbon footprint by changing your eating habits.

Where can we help?

Through National Vegetarian Week you’ll be helping the climate crisis. Swapping a number of your usual meat meals to a plant-based alternative will mean you’re doing your part to help cut carbon emissions. By 2030 we should be eating 30% less meat, which can be achieved by having two meat-free meals each week. Choosing more Vegetarian foods is one of the best things we can do for the planet.

Thankfully there is an abundance of supporting information & recipes which are free for you to access. Bidfood for example have their ‘Vegan Vibes’ to help inspire some tasty alternative meals to try; take a look here.

To start try swapping one meal for a veggie alternative, if you’re brave enough to try for a week even better. The official National Vegetarian Week organisation has a number of resources which can be found on their website.

All information taken from the various resources and websites on hyperlink