Plant-Based March Challenge 2022
Words by Salima Saunders
The Plant-Based March Challenge is back! We are so excited you’ve decided to come with us on this journey, and we will be participating by your side every step of the way. This is our 3rd year doing this challenge and we welcome back old and new friends to discover more about becoming plant-based and its impact on our world and oceans.
Starting March 1, we invite you to challenge yourself to eat plant-based for the month of March, in order to learn more about the detrimental effects of industrial agriculture on our planet.
Eating can be a form of activism, as a way to save the planet. By just being mindful of what we consume and how we consume it, we can have an impact, one bite at a time!
“Reducing your meat and dairy consumption, even by a little, can have big impacts. If everyone in the U.S. ate no meat or cheese just one day a week, it would have the same environmental impact as taking 7.6 million cars off the road”
What plant-based is:
A focus on whole foods and whole grains
No animal products
Reduced consumption of mass produced sugary snacks, foods, and drinks
Mindful eating of foods that do not tax our planet
What plant-based is not:
A rigid, strict diet of prescribed foods
Restriction of food to control our bodies
Focus on eating more, not less. Incorporate more plants into your diet, it can be a fun and creative way to challenge yourself in the kitchen.
We have a great guide to give you a head start with recipes, grocery lists, and incorporating more plants into your life.
What does eating plant based do for our oceans?
Shifting away from animal-based foods [could not only] add up to 49% to the global food supply without expanding croplands; but would also significantly reduce carbon emissions and waste byproducts that end up in our oceans and as seafood byproducts
Source: Jalava et al, 2014: Jalava M, Kummu M, Porkka M, Siebert S, and Varis O (2014). Diet Change–a solution to reduce water use? Environ. Res. lett. 9(7):1-14.
This challenge is meant to be inclusive, so if avoiding ALL animal products sounds way too hard, start where you are! Maybe one meal a day, whatever is challenging to you.
No comparison. No judgment. This is about educating ourselves, reducing our footprint and getting out of our comfort zone to learn how our diets impact our Earth. Our choices matter. How we consume matters. Together we can make a difference, because together we are better.
Make sure you let us know you’re participating by sharing your recipes, photos, stories, and tips with us on social media by tagging #plantbasedmarch and @changingtidesfoundation in your Plant-Based March Challenge stories and posts. Collectively we can support and nourish each other and the planet!