The COVID-19 crisis indicates an urgent need for people to switch to plant-based living. The campaign, Plants are Power, urges people to sign up for a vegan diet for 21 days

Recently, on World Environment Day, various Bollywood celebrities, business leaders and sports stars lend their support to various environmental campaigns.

Adding one more to the list is another digital campaign by Ahimsa Trust — Plants are Power, to educate people on the multiple benefits of a plant-based diet and inspire them to make a switch for a healthier, more sustainable and ethical living. Kick-starting the campaign, Lisa Haydon, Neha Dhupia, Kris Srikkanth, Naveen Jindal and Sunil Munjal will soon be seen taking part in a series of social media activities to encourage people’s participation.

Speaking on it, Lisa Hayden says, “If you agree that it is our responsibility as keepers of the earth to protect our planet, then we must accept that waste, greed and over-consumption are habits we can no longer indulge in. I believe my children deserve a healthy planet and so do yours. There is something we can do about this. Right now. we can be more conscious in our consumption of animal products to drive towards a change.”

The co-founders of the trust, Sethu Vaidyanathan and Parag Agarwal say, “The current health crisis due to COVID-19 is a stark reminder to us that we need to change our food habits. There are myths around the food we eat. Most people believe that a plant-based diet does not provide adequate nutrients like protein and vitamins; there is also a misconception that we need to eat meat to build muscles and become stronger to do well in sports or be healthy. This is not true. Some of the top sportspeople do not consume any animal products. These myths have been around for so long that we have started believing in them. This needs to change. Therefore, Plants are Power is a movement to remind all of us that plants have a power that other foods don’t have. This is to inspire Indians to switch  to a healthier lifestyle and to help us realise that in doing so we make an immediate impact on the planet and the animals.”

Consumption of meat and other animal products is damaging our planet, apart from raining cruelty on the animals. Most of us what happens in slaughterhouses – it is cruel and unhealthy. The campaign aims to bring the goodness of plant-based diet in the spotlight and debunk myths associated with consumption of animal products. It advocates the benefits of a plant-based diet for human health and its cascading effect on animal and environmental health. Emphasising on this very notion the campaign goes by #ForYourBodyForEverybody. 

To facilitate the switch the campaign brings a 21-day challenge, backed by the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO), which urges people to sign up for a plant-based diet for 21 days. Participants can either go for their own dishes or can use the recipes provided on the campaign website and through e-mailers. This challenge can be the first step towards a healthier lifestyle, with a positive impact on our planet.