THE PAST FEW YEARS HAVE SEEN MAJOR NEWS FOR CLIMATE ACTION.
The end of 2018 saw landmark publications connecting food to climate, proposing ‘livable’ climate scenarios, and predicting a quantifiable mess unless there is rapid collective action. Now, the historically sluggish pace of past climate action is prompting protests(opens in a new tab) and rallies around the world(opens in a new tab) — notably led by Earth’s younger residents. They’re not just frustrated — they’re kind of pissed(opens in a new tab). They’re mobilizing, and it’s awesome.
It’s sometimes annoying when people say, ‘Oh you children, you young people are the hope. You will save the world’ … I think it would be helpful if you could help us just a little bit.” — Greta Thunberg, political activist and climate strike leader, 16
Few people — particularly those who will inherit the planet — would be content when confronted with the news that Earth is in the middle of its sixth mass extinction(opens in a new tab): that ice caps are melting (probably heading straight for your sea-level basement) and polar bears are disappearing. Nearly half of all young Americans consider the health of the planet to be the most important part of the US international agenda.
In fact, 92% of American youth say they are willing to act(opens in a new tab) in small ways for a global future that leaves no one behind. Small actions, done widely, add up to big changes for the planet.
At Impossible Foods, we decided a long time ago that we weren’t just going to sit on our heels(opens in a new tab) either about this whole trashing the planet thing. While our approach is relentless optimism for creating solutions that avert climate change and preserve biodiversity, we know that being a little angry drives determination. Students marching out of classrooms are, very reasonably, asking for a whole lot more determination from the generations that preceded them.
If we just sit back, farming animals may take up half of the internationally recognized climate budget(opens in a new tab), despite the flexible nature of what people eat. Continuing to rely on animals for meat will overextend natural resources beyond repair. Even investors holding billions of dollars in fast-food assets are calling on the animal product retailers to make big changes(opens in a new tab).