8meals App - Reduce Meat, Save the Planet

Reducing Environmental Impact Through Dietary Choices

Although Earth Day has passed, individuals can actively contribute to lessening deforestation and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. The #8meals app, developed by the non-profit Habits of Waste, encourages a reduction in meat consumption – aiming for just eight meatless meals each week.

The #8meals App and Its Origins

This application was brought to life through the collaboration of Sheila Morovati, founder of Habits of Waste, and the development team at Digital Pomegranate. It empowers users to schedule meatless meals and provides a variety of recipe ideas to support their commitment.

For Morovati, the #8meals app represents the newest endeavor in a continuing series of initiatives focused on minimizing waste and curbing excessive consumption.

From Crayons to Cutlery: A History of Waste Reduction

Morovati’s dedication to environmental advocacy began with the Crayon Collection, a program designed to redistribute used crayons from restaurants to schools throughout Southern California.

This initiative has successfully diverted over 20 million crayons from landfills. However, Morovati’s non-profit’s efforts to reduce waste didn’t conclude with this project.

The #cutoutcutlery Campaign

The Habits of Waste organization also spearheaded the #cutoutcutlery campaign. This campaign successfully prompted Uber Eats, Postmates, Grubhub, and DoorDash to modify their default settings, requiring customers to actively choose to receive plastic cutlery.

This change aims to diminish the approximately 40 billion plastic utensils discarded annually, as reported on the Habits of Waste website.

“Our objective is to influence societal thinking through initiatives like cutlery reduction and the eight meals program,” Morovati stated.

The Growing Market for Meat Alternatives

Concurrently, the availability of meat replacement products for consumers is steadily increasing. Companies across diverse sectors, including Post Cereal and Anheuser Busch, are venturing into the development of alternatives to animal-sourced proteins.

Furthermore, substantial funding has been secured by companies such as Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat to facilitate direct-to-consumer sales of these replacements.

The Benefits of Reduced Meat Consumption

Even limiting meat intake to a few meals per week can significantly benefit both planetary and human health. Animal agriculture is accountable for over 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions and plays a role in deforestation.

Reaching a Wider Audience

“I often envision a hypothetical individual, whom I’ve named Mr. Joe Barbecue,” Morovati shared during a YouTube interview with Darien Olien, a wellness advocate. “The question is, how can we engage someone like him? Is a complete transition to veganism realistic at this stage? Perhaps not. But introducing the concept of eight meatless meals a week might encourage him to consider it, understand its benefits, and open the door for others who may be hesitant.”