How Media Companies Can Meet Their Climate Commitments—and How Readers Can Help
The global push towards plant-based diets, especially in affluent nations, stands out as a key strategy to mitigate global greenhouse gas emissions. News outlets, influential in shaping cultural norms, can play a pivotal role in promoting plant-based eating through their recipe sections. Industrial animal agriculture, a major contributor to environmental damage, is responsible for a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion. Factory farming also poses public health risks, including the spread of pathogens and antibiotic resistance.
Despite media organizations acknowledging climate change and committing to sustainability, their recipe sections often neglect the link between food choices and the environment. A study found that only seven percent of climate articles mentioned animal agriculture, overshadowed by the emphasis on transportation. Mainstream media, with their extensive influence, could significantly impact cultural norms by promoting climate-friendly, plant-based foods.
Epicurious, a recipe hub, took a bold step in 2021 by excluding beef from its content, emphasizing a pro-planet stance. However, most recipe sites remain silent on this crucial issue. To assess media outlets' alignment with climate-conscious values, the Better Food Foundation analyzed top UK and US news organizations. Five out of eight predominantly featured meat-based recipes, highlighting a missed opportunity.
To address this gap, the report suggests implementing strategies like maintaining a two-to-one ratio of plant-based to animal-based recipes and presenting plant-based options as defaults. Such changes, collectively termed DefaultVeg, have shown success in increasing the adoption of plant-based meals, significantly reducing the environmental footprint.
Media outlets are encouraged to lead this shift by incorporating climate-friendly changes into their recipe sections, adhering to their commitment to responsible climate reporting. Readers are urged to advocate for these changes by writing letters to editors, contributing to the global movement towards a more sustainable and climate-friendly food system.
🔭 This summary was human-edited with AI-assist.
