What’s Plant Forward Mean?
A plant forward diet, also known as a vegan diet, excludes all animal-based products. Animal based products include meat, milk (and other related products such as cheese), eggs, and other less known items like honey. While many individuals follow a plant-based diet because they care about animal welfare, others practice it because of its associated benefits for the environment. For example, cattle and their waste make up a significant chunk, around 32%, of all greenhouse gases. In addition, most of the greenhouse gases emitted are more harmful than CO2, like methane which is 4 times as harmful. Farm animals also eat up to half of the global crop production. As a result, each additional farm animal increases our land use, which can lead to deforestation, desertification/soil degradation, more transport related emissions, etc. Animal farms even majorly pollute our water systems, because animal waste often runs into streams or rivers. Eating plant forward is one of the best actions you can take to reduce your carbon footprint and at Compass we want to make it easy for you by providing delicious vegan options for you.
At Compass we are never going to tell individuals what they can and cannot eat because each Northwestern student has a different relationship with food including factors like an individual’s nutritional requirements, cultural upbringing, and their food budget. However, if you are interested in reducing your carbon footprint and want to take the next step, tryout a plant forward diet. You can even just test the waters by having a single day of the week composed of plant forward meals. Some animal products are more energy intensive than others, with beef at the top of the list. So, eliminating certain types of animal-based products is also an option. Any effort you take to reduce your intake of animal-based products will help in the effort against climate change. Even if you choose not to transition to a plant forward diet you can still help the cause by making sure to not perpetuate myths about the diet, including fibs that athletes don’t eat plant forward, or that practicing individuals without special dietary needs cannot get enough protein while on the diet.
If you want to learn more feel free to contact us. We are happy to answer nutritional and sustainability questions related to plant forward diets. Also check out some amazing plant forward recipes on the NU Dining social media pages!
Olivia Barton
Sustainability Intern
Junior, Social Policy Major