EATING TO SAVE THE PLANET

Readers are invited to “save the planet, one meal at a time.”

Avoiding a hard sell, Broyles lays out, in seven chapters, the argument that adopting a vegan diet can help combat the environmental crisis. She starts with the basics as a colorful graphic from Li helps define the terms herbivore, carnivore, and omnivore, as well as vegan, flexitarian, and vegetarian. The author touches on the intersection between food and culture and succinctly summarizes the origin and effects of climate change. Although Broyles clearly identifies corporations as the drivers of the meat industry, she also invites readers to calculate their own carbon footprints—a concept that’s drawn criticism, as it shifts the emphasis away from the systemic causes. She calculates the environmental costs of raising livestock (cows in particular), leading to a detailed takedown of the meat industry. Broyles offers alternatives to factory farming and to meat eating; she also demonstrates that merely cutting back on meat consumption would reduce one’s environmental footprint, but her focus is on introducing and promoting veganism, and she explains its rationale, history, and practice. She concludes by listing several well-known vegans and addressing a key concern for some parents: Will a vegan diet supply enough protein and other nutrients? The writing is direct and accessible, with sidebars to clarify unfamiliar terms. Cartoon-style images depict diverse kids.

A gentle but persuasive case for vegan eating.