What:

Public attention in the U.S. and around the world will focus on the current state and future of our planet Earth in April, designated as Earth Month, culminating on Earth Day, April 22.

During this month, environmental groups and concerned individuals will discuss crucial topics, such as government policies in energy and transportation, protecting forests and greening cities. The Meatless Monday movement, founded through a collaboration between the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and The Monday Campaigns, aims to ensure that meat reduction and its positive effects on our planet will be on the forefront of the discussions.

Why:

The United Nations 2015 Climate Change Conference (COP21) set the goal of increasing emissions in 2050 by less than two percent. But even with successful changes from energy and transportation sectors, this goal cannot be met—unless we also decrease meat consumption. Nearly 15% of global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions are due to production of meat, dairy, and eggs. In many countries, meat consumption is an indicator of wealth; consequently, as incomes rise, the intake of meat and dairy is also rising across the globe.

 

Interview Topics:

 

Researchers from Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future can discuss:

  • The link between meat and climate change and the impact that simple changes in our diet can make in slowing global warming.
  • The impact of meat, dairy and egg production on global greenhouse gas emissions, a major driver of climate change.
  • Meat production’s role in polluting water and contributing to land degradation.
  • The benefits of countries uniting and advocating for reducing meat consumption by joining the Meatless Monday movement.

Experts Available for Interviews:

  • Brent Kim, MHS, program officer with the CLF’s Food Production and Public Health Program--His research spans issues from farm to fork, with published works on industrial food animal production, food and agricultural policy, soil health, urban food systems, climate change, and a range of other food system challenges.
  • Robert Lawrence, M.D., founding director of the CLF and professor emeritus, with the Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Department of Environmental Health and Engineering–His research spans the food system with a focus on the inter-relationships between diet, food production, environment, and public health.
  • Roni Neff, PhD, director of CLF's Food System Sustainability and Public Health Program, assistant professor in the Bloomberg School’s Department of Environmental Health & Engineering and the Department and Health Policy and Management. Her areas of focus include meat reduction, food contributions to climate change, and wasted food.

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TYPE OF ARTICLE
Expert Pitch
SECTION
CHANNELS
Climate Science Environmental Health Environmental Science Food and Water Safety Food Science Pollution
KEYWORDS
Monday Campaigns meatless monday meatless global warming Climate Change Earth & Environment Earth Day Earth Month Earth And Environment Earth Climate Climate Climate Change and Behavior meat reduction Energy energy & environmental research Center For A Livable Future United Nations Climate Change Conference Cop21 Health Environment Environment And Sustainability Greenhouse Gas Greenhouse Gases Greenhouse Emissions emissiions Emission Control Emissions Reduction Meat Consumption Meat Free Monday meat and environment Water Water Pollution Food Policy Public Health public health and environment Food Food Waste
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