West Hollywood City Hall Wants to Prioritize Vegan Food at Public Meetings

Eating vegan would reduce an individual’s carbon footprint by 75%, the city estimates. Technically, the measure is applicable immediately but it is appreciated in different ways.

In the West Hollywood neighborhood, no more meat hot dogs at public meetings organized by the city. We will eat vegan from now on. The number one argument, put forward at the beginning of July, concerns the environment. “Every aspect of the food system, from production to distribution, intersects with the climate crisis”they explain. The West Hollywood city hall relies on estimates from an intergovernmental panel on the environment. Eating vegan would reduce an individual’s carbon footprint by 75%.

A study by the World Health Organization (WHO) also claims that greenhouse gas emissions would decrease by 46% with a vegan diet, not to mention the land surface freed up with less livestock farming. Vice Mayor Chelsea Byers, who supported the measure, cites the problems of water consumption and “the moral problems that accompany mass breeding.” In short, West Hollywood will work against global warming.

The nonprofit Mercy for Animals pushed for the measure after working with Los Angeles County earlier this year to offer more vegan options in its services. The nonprofit says that beyond the environmental issue, the suffering of animals must also be taken into account. Humans, including the 30 million Americans who are lactose intolerant, would also benefit.

Technically, the measure is applicable now. This vegan food at official events in West Hollywood, one of the most liberal neighborhoods in Los Angeles and home to two of the highest-rated vegan restaurants in the country, is by default. Meat will still be available, but on request. The city will also seek to work as much as possible with local producers to limit the transport of food and the pollution that goes with it. No change for private events, there the organizers can still do what they want.

This measure obviously does not satisfy everyone. Tomi Lahren, one of the figures of conservative America on television, has widely criticized the measure. A measure, according to her, defended by those who worship the climate, convinced that “Animal farts will lead to the apocalypse. In a city where tens of thousands of people live and sleep on the streets, there were probably other priorities,” denounces Tomi Lahren. Even more moderate people wonder how the population will receive this change. The Foodbeast site points out that the number of vegans in the entire United States does not exceed 10 million Americans. We can therefore still consider it a niche market. Does the number of vegans justify a measure like the one taken by the elected officials of West Hollywood?