Coalition announces landmark statewide legislation encouraging healthy, climate-friendly, plant-based school lunch options
LOS ANGELES — California State Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian joins Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Koretz, Animal Hope in Legislation, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Friends of the Earth and Social Compassion in Legislation to announce the introduction of the Healthy, Climate-friendly School Lunch Act. The measure incentivizes K-12 public schools to include a climate-friendly, plant-based entree as an available lunch option. Eligible entrees must be free of animal products or byproducts, including meat, poultry, fish, dairy or eggs.
This first-of-its-kind legislation will increase access to healthy and climate-friendly food for California’s six million kids who receive free and reduced price lunch. It will also help California meet its ambitious climate goals. Mounting evidence shows that shifting diets toward plant-based foods is imperative for addressing climate change and reducing high rates of diet-related diseases.
With millions of pounds of animal foods served each year, this bill will help California’s public schools reduce their carbon footprint while serving healthier food to kids. Research shows that healthy, protein-rich plant-based foods like lentils and beans are 26 to 34 times less carbon-intensive than beef and have significantly lower emissions than pork and chicken.
SPEAKERS:
Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian | 46th District
Councilmember Paul Koretz | 5th District
Marc Ching, Founder and CEO| Animal Hope in Legislation
Kari Hamerschlag, Deputy Director, Food and Agriculture Program | Friends of the Earth
Dr. Heather Shenkman, M.D | Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Simone Reyes, Vice President, Communications | Social Compassion in Legislation
Genesis Butler | 12 Year-old Animal Right’s Activist
WHEN: Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, 9:15 AM PST
WHERE:
Los Angeles City Hall
200 N. Spring St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
*Spring Street Forecourt
CONTACT: Kevynn Gomez, (202) 222-0709, [email protected]