Episode 182

Eating Vegetarian and Vegan Foods Across the Globe

-----

Featuring Carbon Almanac Contributors Jenn Swanson and Leekei Tang

From Langley in British Columbia, Canada, Jenn is a Minister, Coach, Writer and Community Connector, helping people help themselves.

Leekei is a fashion business founder, a business coach, an international development expert and podcaster from Paris, France.

-----

The CarbonSessions Podcast is produced and edited by Leekei Tang, Steve Heatherington and Rob Slater.

Transcript
Speaker:

Hi, I'm Christina.

2

:

I'm from Prague.

3

:

Hi, I'm Jen, and I'm from Canada.

4

:

Hi, I'm Oladunji, and I'm from Nigeria.

5

:

Hello, I'm Liki, and I live in Paris.

6

:

Hi, I'm Brian, and I'm from New York.

7

:

Welcome to Carbon Sessions, a podcast with

carbon conversations for every day, with

8

:

everyone, from everywhere in the world.

9

:

In our conversations, we share ideas,

perspectives, questions, and things we

10

:

can actually do to make a difference.

11

:

So don't be shy and join our Carbon

Sessions, because it's not too late.

12

:

Hi, I'm Olabunji.

13

:

Hi, I'm Liki.

14

:

Hi, I'm Jen.

15

:

Today we are talking about vegan

food on the Carbon Sessions.

16

:

And I just, I, I understand

that vegan food, it, it's

17

:

becoming more and more common.

18

:

Uh, we are cooking a vegan

dinner tonight for a birthday

19

:

dinner for one of our daughters.

20

:

Um, , so it's a bit of a challenge

to change things that she wants to

21

:

eat into vegan versions of that food.

22

:

But I understand from both of you,

Leaky and Olabandji, that there

23

:

are very different vegan foods

in different parts of the world.

24

:

And I wonder if.

25

:

you wanted to share some of that.

26

:

I just wanted to make sure that

when we talk about vegan food,

27

:

we talk about food that exclude

everything that is animal produced.

28

:

So we exclude dairy, we

exclude, do we exclude honey?

29

:

Is it vegan?

30

:

Yes, you exclude honey, you exclude

eggs, you exclude anything that

31

:

comes from a living animal or fish.

32

:

If you're strictly vegan, some

people are vegetarian and that's.

33

:

different.

34

:

Some people are pescatarian, so they

don't eat any animal meat except fish.

35

:

Some people are flexitarian, like me,

because I'm allergic to everything,

36

:

so I have to pick and choose.

37

:

We do mostly, like, very plant heavy,

but we do eat meat on occasion.

38

:

Um, and so there's all different

versions of it, but if you're talking

39

:

strict vegan diet, then you're

talking no animal products whatsoever.

40

:

Well, in Hong Kong, there's, um, there's

a very, very big Buddhist community.

41

:

Uh, I don't know what exactly the

religion is, the main religion is,

42

:

but a lot of people are Buddhist.

43

:

Oh, it's part of the tradition.

44

:

So a lot of people go to

Buddhist temple because it's

45

:

a traditional Chinese religion.

46

:

And Buddhists have this

belief that's we don't kill.

47

:

Therefore, Buddhist monks,

they eat vegan food.

48

:

And, uh, at some festivals, some, uh,

celebrations, we eat vegan food as well.

49

:

Uh, basically there are some like,

you know, festivities, festivals.

50

:

Time.

51

:

And some vegan food is very popular.

52

:

If you visit the temples, it's

made of, of course, there's a

53

:

lot of plants, it's plant based.

54

:

And there's also something that I used

to find good, but now that I understand

55

:

how it is made, I don't like it so much.

56

:

They try to reproduce the meat.

57

:

So every dish that is animal based

can be reproduced based on vegan.

58

:

like with vegan ingredients.

59

:

And the main component is gluten with

some, um, I don't know, probably, uh,

60

:

spices and, and some chemicals to give

the taste of the original meat dish.

61

:

It's nice to look at because it's, uh,

it looks like the real, like when it's,

62

:

um chicken, they, um, reproduce the

whole chicken and cut it into slice.

63

:

So it's nice to look at the taste is.

64

:

It's so so, I would say, it's like,

because I like, I like food, I like meat.

65

:

And so it doesn't taste like

meat, but it's, it's kind of

66

:

not so bad, but it's good.

67

:

But, but the problem with that is that

I don't, I don't really understand

68

:

that, you know, if you eat vegan food,

why try to replicate traditional meat

69

:

based food in the worst way, I think.

70

:

It was when test wise, I would say.

71

:

So that's something I don't understand.

72

:

Well, I think it comes down to,

are you a vegan for, you know,

73

:

philosophical and ethical reasons?

74

:

Are you a vegan out of necessity

because you can't tolerate meat?

75

:

Are you a vegan because

it's expensive to eat meat?

76

:

You know, there's lots and lots of

reasons why a person might go vegan.

77

:

And that would depend.

78

:

So if you're a meat eater and you're

really used to eating meat and

79

:

you still want to eat meat but you

can't for whatever reason, then you

80

:

might still want a burger that feels

like, smells like, looks like meat.

81

:

Um, and if you're a strict vegan for

ethical reasons, you might not care.

82

:

You might prefer not.

83

:

So, and my, one of my problems

is I'm allergic to gluten and I'm

84

:

allergic to soy, so I can't do tofu.

85

:

I can't do anything

that's got gluten in it.

86

:

I can't do a lot of the

substitute pretend food.

87

:

We call it fake food in this house and I

can't, I can't eat a lot of the fake food.

88

:

That makes it an extra challenge,

but that's, that's interesting

89

:

that it, it's made with gluten

and it looks like textured.

90

:

There's that text TVP textured

vegan protein I think it's called.

91

:

I think that's made with gluten

and that can be formed into

92

:

different looking things.

93

:

Of course I've never tasted it,

but I think it's made of soy too.

94

:

I don't know.

95

:

Yeah.

96

:

So we're making a vegan

dinner tonight and.

97

:

We're making a, an Italian pasta dish.

98

:

Oh.

99

:

And we also have gluten free people.

100

:

There's three of us out

of, out of the four.

101

:

So we have gluten free pasta,

but the sauce has broccoli and it

102

:

has typically an Italian sausage.

103

:

So we're going to be using a beyond

beef, uh, beyond meat product,

104

:

um, that's sausage for this.

105

:

And then it has red chili flakes and.

106

:

It has Parmesan cheese, so some of us can

have the Parmesan, but there is a vegan

107

:

Parmesan that I can't eat, but I think

it's made with cashews because a lot of

108

:

the cheese products are made with cashews

and they don't taste exactly like cheese.

109

:

And my goodness, you're in Paris,

so, you know, um, but some of them

110

:

have the texture or the consistency.

111

:

of a cheese.

112

:

And so, you know, it's a little addition.

113

:

But what is the, the, the sausage made of?

114

:

What is the base of the?

115

:

It's got, uh, pea protein.

116

:

So a lot of these things are made with

peas, uh, pea protein or lentil protein.

117

:

And they're, they're formulated in

such a way that they're, you know,

118

:

a sausage is in a casing and you

can put whatever into a casing.

119

:

The casing is, um, is vegan.

120

:

Um, I'm not sure what it's made

of, but they put spices in and they

121

:

make it, they make it look like an,

and pretty much tastes like in this

122

:

case, sausage, but it's processed.

123

:

So it's not good for you, but

once in a while it's a nice treat.

124

:

I'm curious, do you call it

sausage and, um, or meat?

125

:

Because.

126

:

In France, there's a new law project that

will, um, that will forbid the naming

127

:

this product sausage on meat because,

um, because, um, the meat lobbies

128

:

want to, to protect , the products.

129

:

So are you allowed to call them sausage?

130

:

I think they're called, you know,

fake sausage beyond beef sausage.

131

:

I mean, they're not,

they're still called that.

132

:

I know that that legislation is

coming, um, at some point, but at

133

:

this point, they're still called.

134

:

Burgers are still called sausages.

135

:

They're still called these things.

136

:

It's like, for example,

here, it is no oat milk.

137

:

There's oat drinks, but not

oat milk because we're not

138

:

allowed to call them milk.

139

:

Right.

140

:

Well, we make our own so we

can call them what we want, but

141

:

we can make our own oat milk.

142

:

It's cheaper and easier.

143

:

But Ola Banji, I was, I was asking you,

what kinds of vegan food do you have

144

:

where you are and have you tried them?

145

:

Yeah, I've tried a few.

146

:

Um, it looks like being vegan

in Nigeria can be fun because

147

:

there's so much good food to have.

148

:

Right.

149

:

And so you may not know these things,

but I'll, I'll tell them to you anyway.

150

:

So, uh, so you, you still get

to eat the Nigerian Jollof.

151

:

And so there was a time in, on

Twitter, now X, where there was

152

:

like wars between Nigeria, Ghana,

and a few African countries about

153

:

who actually owns the Jollof rice.

154

:

And sorry, what is Jollof?

155

:

It's rice.

156

:

So it's a type of rice.

157

:

Yeah.

158

:

Yeah.

159

:

Yeah.

160

:

Yeah.

161

:

And, and everyone goes, we invented

the Jollof and, you know, Ghanaians

162

:

does not come close to Ghana

Jollof and, and Ghanaians will

163

:

come to Nigeria to have Jollof.

164

:

So, so what do you mean

by it doesn't come close?

165

:

Um, and Nigerians go to

Ghana to have Jollof as well.

166

:

And then there's, there's like other

countries that say, well, no, y'all

167

:

didn't invent the Jollof, it was our

food and you guys came and picked it.

168

:

It's okay.

169

:

I mean, the cool part of being vegan is

you, you still get to eat the Jollof.

170

:

Um, you get to try a Foriro.

171

:

So there's, there's a dish called a

Foriro and it's particularly owned

172

:

by my tribe in Nigeria, the Yorubas

and it's vegetables and just lots

173

:

and lots and lots of vegetables.

174

:

It's a soup.

175

:

And so you get to try that as well.

176

:

Um, and there's so many soups and I,

I guess part of why it's a little fun

177

:

to be vegan in Nigeria is because the

food culture is a lot around soups.

178

:

There's, there's so

many soups you can try.

179

:

And some of the soups are the plants.

180

:

That are used for some of the soups are

already they contain protein themselves

181

:

They are rich in vitamin and protein

sometimes and so a goosey soup, for

182

:

example would um is is is a really It's

one of the foods that is rich in nutrients

183

:

and so you can try that and then there's

puff puff Puff puff is made from from

184

:

flour, but it's it's um, it's done in

such a way that the The outside of it

185

:

is brown and the inside is white and

when you piece it apart When it's really

186

:

really hot it can be really Really good.

187

:

Um, so you get to try a lot of the

food except that you don't eat meat

188

:

And and some other stuff as well.

189

:

I want some recipes now I'm, definitely

sending you pictures and and uh, so

190

:

there's there's There's a lot you

can do with beans in Nigeria as well.

191

:

And so you can make bean ball and

bean ball would be, um, so the

192

:

bean, the beans is grinded into

it, into like a watery substance.

193

:

And then the watery substance is

cooked alongside different spices.

194

:

And, and then, yeah, it comes out like

a It comes out like a ball at the end of

195

:

the day and it's super, super delicious.

196

:

So you can try that as well.

197

:

Um, so you can do the bean

ball, you can do the bean cake.

198

:

Oh, sorry.

199

:

The one I described just now is

the bean cake and the bean cake is

200

:

the one that the beans, I mean, in

both cases, you grind the beans,

201

:

it becomes like a watery substance.

202

:

And then in one case you fry the beans.

203

:

Um, in the other case, you cook the beans.

204

:

And so, and you can spice it

up with whatever you want.

205

:

And you can have that with so many things.

206

:

You can do that with bread.

207

:

You can eat it with, um,

there's something we call Gary.

208

:

It's like, uh, it's, it's like

cereal, but it's not cereal.

209

:

Yeah.

210

:

And, um, There's just a lot of

cool stuff you can try as, as

211

:

if you're vegan in Nigeria, you

definitely have things to play with.

212

:

You have rice to play with.

213

:

You have beans to play with.

214

:

You have vegetables to play with.

215

:

You have soups to play with.

216

:

Yeah.

217

:

And you have spices to play with.

218

:

Our foods can be quite spicy, so,

um, you can blend different kinds of

219

:

spices together and achieve anything.

220

:

Yeah.

221

:

If you're inclined to being vegan,

I think you're having a lot of fun.

222

:

So.

223

:

If you go to a restaurant in

Nigeria, is it hard to be a vegan?

224

:

You know, sometimes it's hard here.

225

:

There's not always something to eat in

every restaurant, but is it, is it easier?

226

:

Is it easy?

227

:

Is there a growing number of

people who are vegan there?

228

:

Yeah, um, I have a few

friends that are vegan.

229

:

You would hardly get vegan food in

Nigerian restaurants, that's for sure.

230

:

I have not seen a single

vegan restaurant here.

231

:

In Lagos, there are a few.

232

:

just a few.

233

:

Um, not in most places in Nigeria,

you won't find vegan restaurants.

234

:

So if you want to be vegan, you're

going to have to make your own food.

235

:

Is the diet by default

more vegan than meat based?

236

:

Maybe it could be something

like that as well.

237

:

I think the diet is meat.

238

:

Is it more vegan and meat based?

239

:

I don't think so.

240

:

It's not really more

vegan than meat based.

241

:

But if you remove the meat.

242

:

In in a lot of the food you would

naturally arrive at a vegan diet.

243

:

So If you want vegan food, you can go

to a restaurant and all you have to

244

:

do is When the when you're picking or

choosing what you want to eat Just don't

245

:

eat the meats and you probably would

already have a vegan food You you may

246

:

not get an alternative source of protein,

but yeah, you you'd get the rest of it

247

:

This is the type of vegan food I like.

248

:

Vegan and vegetarian food is a

celebration of, of flavors, of

249

:

texture, of spices, instead of

trying to replicate what is missing.

250

:

You know, instead of saying,

okay, we're missing out on this.

251

:

So we'll try to do it, but less good,

but because we're really missing

252

:

it, this is, um, this is a new way.

253

:

This is not a new way.

254

:

It's a, it's a, it's a better way of

appreciation of showing the appreciation

255

:

for food is really separation of texture

and taste and flavors and everything.

256

:

So this is the kind of vegan food I like.

257

:

Yeah.

258

:

I love the spices and the different ways

of spicing foods also, because just,

259

:

just this different spice combination

can change the whole flavor of a dish.

260

:

You know, you might have a whole bunch

of vegetables and rice, but if you flavor

261

:

it differently with spices, you end up

with a totally different kind of dish.

262

:

dish.

263

:

And that's, I love that our

spice cupboard is, is huge.

264

:

We have all our spices and

little plastic boxes and labels.

265

:

And when you open the cupboard, they're

all alphabetized because we cook a lot,

266

:

but it's so fun to mix them up and have.

267

:

different flavors.

268

:

Yeah, it's, it's beautiful.

269

:

I think it's beautiful.

270

:

How about you where you are, like,

how are, how is being vegan in Paris?

271

:

It's becoming easier.

272

:

I would not say that it's,

um, it's a vegan place.

273

:

Um, I think it's becoming easier

in the past few years, maybe,

274

:

uh, in the past five years.

275

:

Now, when you go to a traditional

restaurants, you can find at least one

276

:

fish based dish and one, Vegan dish.

277

:

And this is new.

278

:

This is really new.

279

:

Like five years ago, it wasn't like that.

280

:

Five years ago, everything was meat based,

but now there are some very good vegan

281

:

restaurants, but it's not mainstream.

282

:

And especially if you go to outside

of Paris, if you go to rural area, no,

283

:

it's, it's, it's quite hard to find vegan

food because there's a, there's a lot of

284

:

cheese and love recipes, a cheese base.

285

:

So that's, and also a

lot of butter is used.

286

:

So it's not that easy.

287

:

I love butter.

288

:

I love butter.

289

:

I don't want to give up butter.

290

:

Um, I live on, on the West coast

of Canada and I can't speak to

291

:

the rest of the country, but

I know that on the West coast.

292

:

Um, we have a lot of, uh, we have a lot

more and, and I think it's recent as well,

293

:

but we have entire, uh, vegan bakeries.

294

:

We have gluten free bakeries.

295

:

We have vegan restaurants.

296

:

that are standalone vegan restaurants.

297

:

My problem is being allergic

to soy and gluten and nuts.

298

:

I can't partake in a lot of the vegan

cheese because it's made with cashews.

299

:

I have to be careful of of the

nuts and the soy, the tofu.

300

:

So I have a difficult time no matter where

I eat, which is why I'm not exclusively

301

:

vegan because I, I would be eliminating,

um, being able to eat much at all.

302

:

So it's challenge.

303

:

We cook a lot at home because we have,

you know, so many people that are

304

:

allergic to everything in our family.

305

:

So we have a challenge with

food, but, um, but we can usually

306

:

find something that suits.

307

:

if we're not wanting to eat

meat that day at a restaurant,

308

:

most of the time, not always.

309

:

Um, May I ask you why does your

family, why has your family

310

:

decided to eat less meat?

311

:

Um, well, our one, our one daughter

is a vegan for ethical reasons

312

:

and she has been for years.

313

:

We have my mother and another

daughter who are vegetarian.

314

:

Uh, my, my mother is pescatarian.

315

:

She will eat fish, but she doesn't

eat any other kind of meat.

316

:

Um, and that's also for

the love of animals.

317

:

and our family, it's, it's.

318

:

Uh, the rest of us, it's partly that

and partly health, um, for the studies

319

:

that have come out on longevity, the

studies that have come out on, um,

320

:

visceral fat, um, like around your organs.

321

:

Um, the studies that have come

out around, um, you know, strength

322

:

and athleticism and how a plant

forward diet can, can be beneficial.

323

:

So it's a combination of reasons.

324

:

And again, we're not exclusively, that's

why I call us a flexitarian and if, if

325

:

we go to somebody's house and they've

made us a chicken dinner, we'll eat it.

326

:

Right.

327

:

It's not like we're.

328

:

Um, well, we will, our daughter

won't, but, but, you know, um, I

329

:

have enough allergies when people

invite us for dinner that I have to

330

:

give them a ridiculous list as it is.

331

:

And those are like anaphylactic

reactions and I'll be sick,

332

:

sick, sick for days or dead.

333

:

So I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna, I'm not

gonna say, Oh, don't feed me meat or fish.

334

:

Right.

335

:

So, um, yeah.

336

:

So it's a bit of a, uh, a navigation.

337

:

adventure, but my goodness, I

especially love cooking, um, foods

338

:

from around the world because you

learn so much about, like I was

339

:

talking last time about jackfruit.

340

:

We can buy jackfruit in tins and

jackfruit shreds like shredded pork.

341

:

It's very interesting.

342

:

It's got a neat texture and you can

put barbecue sauce on it and you can

343

:

bake it in the oven on a cookie sheet

and, and then you can put it in tacos.

344

:

taco shells, or you can put it on

hamburger buns, and you can make

345

:

all sorts of delicious things.

346

:

With jackfruit and it looks like it'll

it looks ridiculously like me, but it

347

:

and it takes tastes really good But then

again, you're trying to replicate a meat

348

:

recipe You know, but there's no chemicals

involved right I mean you're it's it's

349

:

pretty healthy so yeah Yeah, I was gonna

tell you about a pudding that I've been

350

:

making that I discovered using beans.

351

:

I don't know what kind of beans you

were talking about, Ola Banji, but these

352

:

are black beans and you take a can of

black beans and drain it and you throw

353

:

it in a blender or a food processor.

354

:

You put, um, a quarter cup of like, or

half a cup of syrup, like maple syrup,

355

:

or, um, if you don't, we have maple syrup

here, but if you don't have that, then

356

:

some kind of sweetener, you put a quarter

cup of cocoa powder and you put a teaspoon

357

:

of vanilla and a little tiny bit of salt.

358

:

blend it up and it makes the

best chocolate pudding ever

359

:

and it's full of protein.

360

:

Wow.

361

:

And it does not taste like beans.

362

:

I promise.

363

:

It does not taste like beans.

364

:

Takes five minutes to make and

you don't have to feel guilty.

365

:

You're eating chocolate pudding

because it's actually beans.

366

:

Well, can I share a recipe with

you that involves three ingredients

367

:

and five minutes to make?

368

:

It's um, it's a sourdough.

369

:

in Italy, I think.

370

:

Um, yeah, in Italy, definitely.

371

:

And, um, it's based on, okay.

372

:

Uh, how do I pronounce it?

373

:

Fennel, fennel, fennel.

374

:

Yeah.

375

:

Licorice flavored.

376

:

Yes.

377

:

Yeah.

378

:

Yeah.

379

:

And so slice it very, very thinly

with, um, mandolin mandolin.

380

:

So slice it very thinly,

put it on the plate.

381

:

And then, um, cut in lemon

and then put a little bit of

382

:

lemon juice, love lemon juice.

383

:

And then the secret is in the olive oil.

384

:

Just get the best olive oil you can find

and then splash it, put a lot of it.

385

:

And that's it.

386

:

It's delicious.

387

:

It's very easy and it's

really, really delicious.

388

:

And it tastes amazing.

389

:

Like, um, Sardinia, actually, I

had it in Sardinia now, I remember.

390

:

So it's the taste of Sardinia.

391

:

It's really easy and very good

and very healthy, I believe.

392

:

That sounds fabulous.

393

:

Do you guys have, we have olive oil

stores here where you can go in and

394

:

do samplings and tastings of olive

oil and balsamic vinegar, honestly.

395

:

And you walk around with

little spoons and they, and the

396

:

olive oil tastes so different

depending on where it comes from.

397

:

Yeah.

398

:

Wow.

399

:

Do you have that where you are?

400

:

Um, I get my olive oil from the butcher

401

:

because my butcher is,

um, is a halal butcher.

402

:

And he's, uh, he has some connection in

Algeria and he imports some olive oil from

403

:

one of his, some, one of his relatives.

404

:

And so he has got the best olive oil.

405

:

So I get my olive oil from my butcher.

406

:

Uh, we get ours from a med,

a Middle Eastern, uh, shop

407

:

and, um, uh, they import it.

408

:

from the Middle East and oh, it's good.

409

:

Good olive oil.

410

:

Yeah.

411

:

Well, Benji, do you have in

Nigeria some special oil?

412

:

Because it makes a total difference.

413

:

Yes.

414

:

Yeah, we do.

415

:

We actually do have, um, olive oil.

416

:

It's not as common as the vegetable

oil, but we do have olive oil.

417

:

I've got olive oil in

my kitchen right now.

418

:

Um, yeah, we, you can get a selection.

419

:

You can get any kind of, well, I wouldn't

say any kind, but you can, um, Get almost

420

:

any kind of olive oil that you want.

421

:

Yeah.

422

:

Oh, I also use a lot of sesame

oil because it's, the taste

423

:

is really, really different.

424

:

It's like, it makes them, it

makes a dish completely alive.

425

:

I love it.

426

:

Sesame oil.

427

:

Yeah.

428

:

Sesame, sesame oil.

429

:

Yeah.

430

:

I haven't tried that one.

431

:

It's got a very heavy, it almost, um, Mm.

432

:

Mm.

433

:

Uh, smells like nuts,

but it don't cook it.

434

:

Yeah.

435

:

Yeah.

436

:

Yeah.

437

:

It's very good.

438

:

Oh.

439

:

Oh.

440

:

And what about sesame?

441

:

What about tahini?

442

:

Sesame paste?

443

:

I love that.

444

:

Yeah.

445

:

Do you have that?

446

:

We do have that.

447

:

Yeah.

448

:

Yeah.

449

:

We do have that.

450

:

Oh, yeah.

451

:

Oh, Benji, do you cook?

452

:

Yeah, I do cook.

453

:

Um, I do cook.

454

:

Do you have a lovely

recipe to share with us?

455

:

No, I, I do cook.

456

:

I don't cook a lot.

457

:

Yeah.

458

:

But, but I, I do try to cook today.

459

:

I made beans.

460

:

Um, what kind, what kind of beans?

461

:

Simple.

462

:

Uh oh.

463

:

Yeah.

464

:

So there's, there's this kind

of beans we make in Nigeria.

465

:

It's, um, beans and plantain and

anything else you want in it,

466

:

but it's just beans and plantain.

467

:

And then you cook it together and

then the sweetness of the plantain

468

:

sort of mixes with the beans,

and then it just becomes a whole.

469

:

Nice dish.

470

:

So yeah, that was what I made today.

471

:

Are they black beans or white beans or?

472

:

They're brown beans.

473

:

Yeah.

474

:

That would be like, like our pork

and beans, but without the pork.

475

:

Yeah.

476

:

Something like that.

477

:

Something like that.

478

:

Yeah.

479

:

That would be sweet and delicious.

480

:

And forgive my manners.

481

:

I didn't wish you both happy

International Women's Day.

482

:

You, you guys, you guys are

the best, the absolute best.

483

:

Thank you.

484

:

Yeah.

485

:

Now I'm hungry guys.

486

:

That's the problem.

487

:

I just had a bowl of beans, so I'm good.

488

:

Yeah.

489

:

The, the podcast recording is always

before dinner time on Friday and

490

:

uh, I'm always hungry as well.

491

:

That's probably why we talk so

much about food and mine is, but

492

:

it's before lunch for me here.

493

:

So.

494

:

Yeah.

495

:

Uh, yeah, it's actually

before dinner here as well.

496

:

I just had, I just had to eat early.

497

:

I was hungry.

498

:

Maybe I should try that.

499

:

It's before podcasts.

500

:

Yeah.

501

:

Then we'll talk about exercise.

502

:

That'll be next.

503

:

That'll be next.

504

:

Well, I think, I think

another thing to talk about.

505

:

Eating more plants, even once a week,

if people want to try it, um, it helps

506

:

to reduce all sorts of emissions,

helps to reduce, um, uh, the methane,

507

:

if there's less demand for cow and uh,

yeah, there's a lot of good that can come

508

:

of it if we, uh, at least try a little

bit to eat a little bit more plants.

509

:

based than processed for.

510

:

Yeah.

511

:

Yeah.

512

:

I feel unwell when I don't eat vegetables.

513

:

So yeah.

514

:

Yeah.

515

:

And that's a good thing.

516

:

That's a good thing.

517

:

Cause if you're, if your body is

naturally into it, then it's fine.

518

:

Then that's, that's actually really cool.

519

:

Um, I, I, I decided to stop eating

processed food, uh, uh, maybe

520

:

like maybe two years ago, and I

still do once in a while, but it's

521

:

definitely gone drastically down.

522

:

So I hardly eat processed food.

523

:

I'll either cook my food

or just buy real food.

524

:

And I try to have vegetables, uh,

as much as I can and fruits as well.

525

:

So it's healthy.

526

:

It's, it's all.

527

:

It's good or wrong.

528

:

There's no downside to it.

529

:

I don't see a downside to it at all.

530

:

So it takes time.

531

:

It can be inconvenient sometimes.

532

:

Yeah.

533

:

But it's always a great decision.

534

:

Yeah.

535

:

Well, and you know, years ago, there

wasn't processed food and it, it, you had

536

:

to eat and you had to take, it took time.

537

:

And there was a good thing in that too.

538

:

You know, you knew where

your food came from.

539

:

You, you knew what you were

putting together and what you were

540

:

putting into your body and, uh,

less preservative, less chemical.

541

:

Um, I guess it's about,

it's about priorities.

542

:

It's also.

543

:

It's also hard because sometimes

it's expensive to cook fresh food.

544

:

Sometimes it's cheaper for people

to buy something already made

545

:

and put it in the microwave.

546

:

Um, which is unfortunate because you're,

you're getting all sorts of extra

547

:

stuff you don't want in your body when

you're eating processed food, but yeah,

548

:

it should be cheaper to stay healthy.

549

:

I think every little tiny step helps.

550

:

Yeah.

551

:

I totally agree with that.

552

:

I guess it's also, it's also a

thing to, it's a problem that,

553

:

that needs solving right now.

554

:

Um, and it should be

cheaper to stay healthier.

555

:

than to stay unhealthy.

556

:

So that's some problem we're gonna have

to solve us as a race, as a human race,

557

:

or as a people, a community of people.

558

:

So, yeah.

559

:

So what should we leave

the listener with today?

560

:

Besides some recipe?

561

:

Well, as you said, um, try

to eat vegetarian or vegan

562

:

food at least once a week.

563

:

And, um, and I would suggest

Listeners to try new foods.

564

:

You would be surprised, you know, go

to the supermarket, go to the market,

565

:

look for new foods you've never tried.

566

:

You've never cooked and

ask people around you.

567

:

So it's a great way to discover

new food and connect with

568

:

other people is how I do it.

569

:

I love it.

570

:

Absolutely.

571

:

One hundred percent.

572

:

Thank you.

573

:

Thank you.

574

:

Thanks.

575

:

Go have dinner.

576

:

You too.

577

:

Oh, you already did all of that.

578

:

You have some more.

579

:

I will.

580

:

I definitely will.

581

:

You've been listening to Carbon

Sessions, a podcast with carbon

582

:

conversations for every day with

everyone from everywhere in the world.

583

:

We'd love you to join the Carbon

Sessions so you too can share your

584

:

perspectives from wherever you are.

585

:

This is a great way for our community

to learn from your ideas and

586

:

experiences, connect, and take action.

587

:

If you want to add your voice to the

conversation, go to thecarbonalmanac.

588

:

org slash podcast.

589

:

And sign up to be part

of a future episode.

590

:

This podcast is also part of

the Carbon Almanac Network.

591

:

For more information, to sign up for

the emails, to join the movement,

592

:

and to order your copy of the Carbon

Almanac, go to thecarbonalmanac.

593

:

org.

594

:

Be sure to subscribe and join

us here again, as together

595

:

we can change the world.

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

About the Podcast

Show artwork for CarbonSessions
CarbonSessions
Carbon Conversations for every day, with everyone, from everywhere in the world.

Listen for free

About your host

Profile picture for Carbon Almanac

Carbon Almanac

When it comes to the climate, we don’t need more marketing or anxiety. We need established facts and a plan for collective action.

The climate is the fundamental issue of our time, and now we face a critical decision. Whether to be optimistic or fatalistic, whether to profess skepticism or to take action. Yet it seems we can barely agree on what is really going on, let alone what needs to be done. We urgently need facts, not opinions. Insights, not statistics. And a shift from thinking about climate change as a “me” problem to a “we” problem.

The Carbon Almanac is a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration between hundreds of writers, researchers, thinkers, and illustrators that focuses on what we know, what has come before, and what might happen next. Drawing on over 1,000 data points, the book uses cartoons, quotes, illustrations, tables, histories, and articles to lay out carbon’s impact on our food system, ocean acidity, agriculture, energy, biodiversity, extreme weather events, the economy, human health, and best and worst-case scenarios. Visually engaging and built to share, The Carbon Almanac is the definitive source for facts and the basis for a global movement to fight climate change.

This isn’t what the oil companies, marketers, activists, or politicians want you to believe. This is what’s really happening, right now. Our planet is in trouble, and no one concerned group, corporation, country, or hemisphere can address this on its own. Self-interest only increases the problem. We are in this together. And it’s not too late to for concerted, collective action for change.