The ecological benefits of vegetarian foods gained some mainstream exposure recently when Sodexo, one of the world’s leading food service providers, encouraged its 10 million U.S. customers to eat plant-based meals for Earth Day.
Partnering with the PB&J Campaign, a project of Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs, a group working to combat environmental destruction by reducing the amount of animal products people eat, Sodexo gave all of its customers at college campuses, corporate cafés, hospitals, and senior residences across the country a vegetarian meal option for Earth Day in the form of creative peanut-butter and jelly cuisine. Options included Fluffer Nutter Club Sandwich, Grilled Peanut Butter and Banana with Chocolate Chips, Toasted Peanut Butter Baguettes with Jelly Dipping Sauce and Peanut Butter Pancakes with Jelly Syrup.
“Choosing just one all plant-based meal on April 22 could make a big difference to the planet.” says Sodexo, Inc., adding that 1.3 billion gallons of water, 12,400 tons of carbon emissions and about 5,500 acres of land could be saved if all of its customers choose just one plant-based meal.
