A new California state bill, AB-479, the Healthy Climate-Friendly School Lunch Act, plans to bring sustainable vegan lunch to public schools.
The bill hopes to bring healthy, climate-friendly vegan lunch options to over six million students in California’s public schools. It was introduced in February by Assembly member Adrin Nazarian (D-Van Nuys) and would encourage K-12 public schools to offer plant based options for meals and milk. The bill unanimously passed the Senate Education Committee and now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee. The schools would also receive state funding for offering vegan school lunches. Nazarian said:
“AB-479 will increase access to healthy food options for low-income communities and reduce our carbon footprint at the same time.”
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Plant-based crops use far less water and land and emit fewer greenhouse gases (GHG). AB-479 aligns with California’s climate strategy of cutting its GHG emissions to forty percent below the levels in 1990. Nazarian continued:
“Our state is a global microcosm with many different cultural needs. California’s school meal policy should not only reflect this diversity, but also incorporate the extensive research on the health benefits of plant-based nutrition.”
The move is not just good for students, it is good for the planet as well. Studies have proven that exchanging animal-based meals for vegan food is better for both the body, and the planet. In fact, the EAT-Lancet Commission (a study on food’s sustainability) suggests that people begin shifting towards a primarily plant-based diet to fight climate change and feed the growing global population.
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Several non-profits have co-sponsored the bill, including PCRM, Animal Hope in Legislation, Friends of the Earth, and Social Compassion in Legislation. PCRM president Dr. Neal Barnard said:
“Bringing plant-based meals to schools will help students establish healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime. Not only do these foods help students stay focused and energized in the classroom today, but they also reduce long-term risk for heart disease, type-2 diabetes, obesity, and other chronic diseases.”
Several California school districts already successfully offer plant-based lunches, including Capistrano, Riverside, Oakland, San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Francisco and Novato.
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According to the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), vegan lunch options are so popular that they run out quickly in Oakland’s district. They have also allowed the district to save 42 million gallons of water and $40,000 over the past two years. Marc Ching, Founder and CEO of Animal Hope in Legislation said:
“As the world moves forward and progressively changes, the way we teach our youth will impact not only the climate. But our ethics, our morals, and the future that comes before us. This program is about choices. Choosing not just for ourselves, but the environment, and our children.
In addition to offering vegan lunch options to students, AB-479 would also provide support for students, staff, recipe development and other assistance needed to serve vegan school lunches.
I’ve been eating plant-based for years and I eat this way because it makes me feel my best. For anyone who thinks that plant-based eaters only eat salad, or have an unrealistic diet, it’s not what you might think. XO ~ Erin
