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In September this year, Los Angeles hosted its first-ever Climate Week with a series of events that all had one clear message: LA is taking action to combat the climate crisis. All the catering for LA Climate Week events was 100 percent vegan, showing that LA means business when it comes to taking action for the planet. With all eyes on LA for the 2028 Olympics, will this trendsetting city light the torch for the world’s first fully vegan Olympics?
Many would argue that an action like this is a long time coming. At the 2024 Olympic Games, Paris boasted twice the vegan food served, compared to previous Olympics, in order to take climate action. But is this enough to address the urgency our planet currently faces? I wouldn’t be so sure.
We’re at a pivotal moment in history in many ways. Take a look at the headline news stories on any given day, and you’ll likely learn about the impact the climate crisis is already having on the planet. Hurricanes, drought, record-breaking heat waves, to name just a few. While scientists agree that we cannot reverse the devastating damage already done to the planet, its people, and animals, there is still a chance to stop it getting any worse. As the United Nations neatly summarizes: “Doing nothing will end up costing us a lot more than if we take action now.”
So, where does vegan food fit into the equation?
The environmental impact of animal farming
Farming animals for food is one of the key drivers of the climate crisis, accounting for at least 16.5 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. It’s also a leading cause of deforestation and biodiversity loss. According to the University of Colorado, animal agriculture produces 65 percent of the world’s nitrous oxide emissions, which has a global warming impact 296 times greater than carbon dioxide. Did you know this already? Perhaps not. The National Center for Biotechnology Information says that “Public awareness of the link between animal food consumption and climate change is low.” Countless people are unaware of this connection, but LA now has the perfect opportunity to change this.
A vegan Olympics should be the next logical step to follow the policy announcements that have come out of LA this year. In July, West Hollywood announced its policy to provide plant-based food by default at all council-run events. The resolution cites research from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, reporting that plant-based meals can, on average, result in a 63 percent “lower carbon footprint” than meals made with meat, dairy, and other animal products. Earlier in March, Los Angeles County passed a motion that requires all departmental food procurement to be plant-based by default, too. Plans are already underway from industries such as LA Metro which is aiming to deliver “the cleanest Games for transportation in U.S. history.” The standard is being set for the LA Olympics, but will this extend to food?
Will the Olympics go plant-based?
There is currently no indication that the LA Olympics will be plant-based. But the call for a vegan 2028 Olympics has begun. Although we’re still just under four years away from the event itself, organizations and individuals – including Olympic medallist Dotsie Bausch – are already leading the charge in calling for a firm commitment. National animal protection NGO Animal Outlook is also sharing the message that we don’t have to wait for the next Olympics to take action by inviting people to take the “Vedge Pledge”, a pledge to eat plant-based for a week or longer to help reduce our individual carbon footprint. Its website states that by eating vegan, even for just one day, we save 1,100 gallons of water, 30 square feet of forest, and one animal’s life. At a time where climate anxiety is at an all-time high, it’s reassuring to know that there is more we can do as individuals than simply ditching plastic straws.
While LA hosting the first fully vegan Olympics won’t solve the complex issue of the climate crisis, it will certainly make a powerful statement and show the rest of the world that we are a city that takes responsibility and sets an example. We made groundbreaking strides with the first-ever LA Climate Week, giving New York a run for its money. Let’s push forward and show the world what a green Olympics really looks like.
Make us proud, Los Angeles.
