Greener food; greener planet

15-minute recipes

We get it. Climate change is scary.

But here’s a secret: You can really make a difference. Every time you eat, you get to choose what kind of future you’re fueling.

And spoiler: eating more plants is one of the best things you can do for the earth.

It’s simple. Greener food = greener planet.

Quick facts
Tips & tools for students

What is plant-based?

Think veggies, fruits, grains, beans, nuts, seeds—and all the tasty things made from them.

Basically: food that grew in the ground, not from someone who had a face.

It’s burgers made from beans, not bovines. Mac and cheese minus the moo. Chickpeas, not chickens.

No animals. No guilt. Just good food.

How plant-based eating helps the planet

It takes far less water, land, and emissions to grow plants for humans to eat than to feed, water, and maintain animals throughout their lives, then process their meat or byproducts for humans to eat. Find out the impact below!

Plant foods use less water

What does this mean for the planet?

Agriculture accounts for about 70% of groundwater withdrawals, with much of this water going toward crops that feed farmed animals. Aquifers are being emptied at a must fast pace than the water cycle can replenish them.

Choosing less water-intensive foods like chickpeas and lentils as your protein help give the earth’s water stores time to replenish.

Plant foods use less land

What does this mean for the planet?

Using more land for raising, feeding, and slaughtering animals leads to habitat loss for wildlife and deforestation.

Plant foods create fewer emissions

  • Animal agriculture is responsible for about 12% to 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions. By comparison, 15% of emissions are from all transportation.
  • Producing 100g of protein from beef creates 59 times more emissions than the same amount of protein from pulses (like beans and lentils).
  • Swapping beef for plants once a week for a year cuts as many emissions as a 560 km drive (approximately equal to a road trip from Vancouver, B.C. to Portland, Oregon).
  • Producing 1 kg of beef creates 99.5 kg of CO2 equivalents (Carbon dioxide equivalents weigh non-carbon dioxide gases by how much warming they cause over 100 years). That pack of ground beef warms the planet as much as driving from Vancouver to Merritt in the average Canadian car.

What does this mean for the planet?

Increased greenhouse gas emissions are leading to rising global temperatures, with 2024 reaching 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Research clearly shows that to avert the worst impacts of climate change and preserve a liveable planet, it is crucial to limit greenhouse gas emissions and climate warming.

Will you be choosing more plant-based foods to help build a greener future?

Whether you eat veg for one meal or forever, every plant-based meal is a vote for a healthier planet.

Check out these quick and simple recipes for inspiration on how to use more plant-based protein sources when you’re prepping that on-the-go lunch or late-night study snack.

Looking for more inspiration? See all plant-based recipes in the PlantUniversity recipe library!

All recipes

Plant-based resources for postsecondary students are brought to you by the Canadian University Initiative, Reimagine Agriculture, and the Vancouver Humane Society. This collaboration of organizations aims to improve access to plant-based options at postsecondary campuses and to support students with the tools to eat more plants for the well-being of animals, the planet, and the people who share it.