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Food For Thought, Food For Change | Owen Torrey & Naomi Boyd | TEDxYouth@UTS


hey Naomi hey Owen how do you know if

hey Naomi hey Owen how do you know if someone’s vegan oh don’t worry

someone’s vegan oh don’t worry

someone’s vegan oh don’t worry they’ll tell you hi everyone I’m Owen

they’ll tell you hi everyone I’m Owen

they’ll tell you hi everyone I’m Owen and I don’t eat meat eggs or dairy and

and I don’t eat meat eggs or dairy and

and I don’t eat meat eggs or dairy and I’m Naomi and I don’t eat meat and I

I’m Naomi and I don’t eat meat and I

I’m Naomi and I don’t eat meat and I tend to avoid dairy but I do eat fish

tend to avoid dairy but I do eat fish

tend to avoid dairy but I do eat fish now today we’re here to give you some

now today we’re here to give you some

now today we’re here to give you some food for thought about food for change

food for thought about food for change

food for thought about food for change in particular we’ll be looking at how a

in particular we’ll be looking at how a

in particular we’ll be looking at how a shift in one’s diet even on a micro

shift in one’s diet even on a micro

shift in one’s diet even on a micro level can have important impacts on the

level can have important impacts on the

level can have important impacts on the self as well as on the world we inhabit

self as well as on the world we inhabit

self as well as on the world we inhabit now we know the stereotypes of vegans

now we know the stereotypes of vegans

now we know the stereotypes of vegans militant condescending intolerant those

militant condescending intolerant those

militant condescending intolerant those whose diets differ from their own so

whose diets differ from their own so

whose diets differ from their own so before we get started we want to stress

before we get started we want to stress

before we get started we want to stress that this talk is going to be as far

that this talk is going to be as far

that this talk is going to be as far from didactic as possible now we’re not

from didactic as possible now we’re not

from didactic as possible now we’re not trying to convert you to our lame vegan

trying to convert you to our lame vegan

trying to convert you to our lame vegan Club ones diet is deeply personal and

Club ones diet is deeply personal and

Club ones diet is deeply personal and everyone has a right to a dietary

everyone has a right to a dietary

everyone has a right to a dietary lifestyle that works best for them in

lifestyle that works best for them in

lifestyle that works best for them in our talk today we just hope to discuss

our talk today we just hope to discuss

our talk today we just hope to discuss the impacts of our diets and emphasize

the impacts of our diets and emphasize

the impacts of our diets and emphasize the importance of informed knowledgeable

the importance of informed knowledgeable

the importance of informed knowledgeable eating no matter what it is you choose

eating no matter what it is you choose

eating no matter what it is you choose to chow down on now what made me go

to chow down on now what made me go

to chow down on now what made me go vegan weren’t those posters on the

vegan weren’t those posters on the

vegan weren’t those posters on the subway you know the ones with the cute

subway you know the ones with the cute

subway you know the ones with the cute pig and the cute dog then big bold

pig and the cute dog then big bold

pig and the cute dog then big bold letters the question I love one but eat

letters the question I love one but eat

letters the question I love one but eat the other no Owen and I were actually

the other no Owen and I were actually

the other no Owen and I were actually both inspired to shift our diets based

both inspired to shift our diets based

both inspired to shift our diets based on environmental concerns yeah I went

on environmental concerns yeah I went

on environmental concerns yeah I went vegan after reading a 2010 United

vegan after reading a 2010 United

vegan after reading a 2010 United Nations report entitled assessing the

Nations report entitled assessing the

Nations report entitled assessing the environmental impacts of production and

environmental impacts of production and

environmental impacts of production and consumption : priority products and

consumption : priority products and

consumption : priority products and materials somewhat less catchy than the

materials somewhat less catchy than the

materials somewhat less catchy than the poster I know now this report

poster I know now this report

poster I know now this report essentially said what scientists

essentially said what scientists

essentially said what scientists studying climate and the environment had

studying climate and the environment had

studying climate and the environment had been saying for years namely that animal

been saying for years namely that animal

been saying for years namely that animal agriculture – the process of raising

agriculture – the process of raising

agriculture – the process of raising animals for human consumption was one of

animals for human consumption was one of

animals for human consumption was one of the leading factors behind environmental

the leading factors behind environmental

the leading factors behind environmental degradation and climate change

degradation and climate change

degradation and climate change take greenhouse gases for instance

take greenhouse gases for instance

take greenhouse gases for instance animal agriculture is responsible for

animal agriculture is responsible for

animal agriculture is responsible for over half of all global greenhouse gas

over half of all global greenhouse gas

over half of all global greenhouse gas emissions each year that’s more than all

emissions each year that’s more than all

emissions each year that’s more than all forms of transportation so planes cars

forms of transportation so planes cars

forms of transportation so planes cars ships trucks you name it combined with

ships trucks you name it combined with

ships trucks you name it combined with those figures expect to grow over 80% by

those figures expect to grow over 80% by

those figures expect to grow over 80% by 2050 this is compounded by the fact that

2050 this is compounded by the fact that

2050 this is compounded by the fact that the gas most frequently emitted

the gas most frequently emitted

the gas most frequently emitted by animal agriculture is nitrous oxide a

by animal agriculture is nitrous oxide a

by animal agriculture is nitrous oxide a gas with the global warming potential

gas with the global warming potential

gas with the global warming potential 296 times greater than carbon dioxide

296 times greater than carbon dioxide

296 times greater than carbon dioxide the animal agriculture industry also

the animal agriculture industry also

the animal agriculture industry also uses about one-third of global

uses about one-third of global

uses about one-third of global freshwater supplies each year in fact to

freshwater supplies each year in fact to

freshwater supplies each year in fact to make about one hamburger requires 660

make about one hamburger requires 660

make about one hamburger requires 660 gallons of water to produce that’s about

gallons of water to produce that’s about

gallons of water to produce that’s about the equivalent of taking a three hour

the equivalent of taking a three hour

the equivalent of taking a three hour long shower which although I might love

long shower which although I might love

long shower which although I might love to do might be considered a bit

to do might be considered a bit

to do might be considered a bit excessive vegetables like broccoli and

excessive vegetables like broccoli and

excessive vegetables like broccoli and potatoes for example only require about

potatoes for example only require about

potatoes for example only require about 34 gallons of water and are still quite

34 gallons of water and are still quite

34 gallons of water and are still quite tasty often we can feel a disconnect

tasty often we can feel a disconnect

tasty often we can feel a disconnect between the foods we eat and the world

between the foods we eat and the world

between the foods we eat and the world around us particularly in the modern age

around us particularly in the modern age

around us particularly in the modern age of processed foods and when

of processed foods and when

of processed foods and when globalisation brings foods from all

globalisation brings foods from all

globalisation brings foods from all corners of the globe to our supermarket

corners of the globe to our supermarket

corners of the globe to our supermarket aisles it can be hard to remember that

aisles it can be hard to remember that

aisles it can be hard to remember that what we eat is a direct offering of the

what we eat is a direct offering of the

what we eat is a direct offering of the world around us and now what we choose

world around us and now what we choose

world around us and now what we choose to eat affects out world in turn diets

to eat affects out world in turn diets

to eat affects out world in turn diets are certainly a personal choice but they

are certainly a personal choice but they

are certainly a personal choice but they are also global in their impacts

are also global in their impacts

are also global in their impacts understanding the impacts of one’s diet

understanding the impacts of one’s diet

understanding the impacts of one’s diet above and beyond the South can help

above and beyond the South can help

above and beyond the South can help foster a process of more informed eating

foster a process of more informed eating

foster a process of more informed eating that remains conscious of the broader

that remains conscious of the broader

that remains conscious of the broader global community to be sure the impacts

global community to be sure the impacts

global community to be sure the impacts on the self are important as well one of

on the self are important as well one of

on the self are important as well one of the things that Naomi is noticed about

the things that Naomi is noticed about

the things that Naomi is noticed about going vegan is that you often start

going vegan is that you often start

going vegan is that you often start cooking a lot more for yourself eating

cooking a lot more for yourself eating

cooking a lot more for yourself eating out as the vegan can present a variety

out as the vegan can present a variety

out as the vegan can present a variety of challenges including finding

of challenges including finding

of challenges including finding something something to eat and finding

something something to eat and finding

something something to eat and finding something affordable to eat

something affordable to eat

something affordable to eat cooking for yourself allows for you to

cooking for yourself allows for you to

cooking for yourself allows for you to have a much better understanding and

have a much better understanding and

have a much better understanding and command over the food that you do eat

command over the food that you do eat

command over the food that you do eat personally I found this to be

personally I found this to be

personally I found this to be particularly true when cooking as a

particularly true when cooking as a

particularly true when cooking as a vegan say you’re in a supermarket aisle

vegan say you’re in a supermarket aisle

vegan say you’re in a supermarket aisle and you want to know if a certain

and you want to know if a certain

and you want to know if a certain product is vegan you actually have to

product is vegan you actually have to

product is vegan you actually have to take it off the shelf and look at the

take it off the shelf and look at the

take it off the shelf and look at the nutritional information and list of

nutritional information and list of

nutritional information and list of ingredients in a way we often forget to

ingredients in a way we often forget to

ingredients in a way we often forget to do moreover however cooking for yourself

do moreover however cooking for yourself

do moreover however cooking for yourself simply provides a more direct and

simply provides a more direct and

simply provides a more direct and tactile way to engage with the food that

tactile way to engage with the food that

tactile way to engage with the food that you put in your body being able to watch

you put in your body being able to watch

you put in your body being able to watch as discrete individual ingredients

as discrete individual ingredients

as discrete individual ingredients coming together to create a meal allows

coming together to create a meal allows

coming together to create a meal allows for a greater degree of agency control

for a greater degree of agency control

for a greater degree of agency control and knowledge

and knowledge

and knowledge over the food you digest in a way that

over the food you digest in a way that

over the food you digest in a way that is often limited by prepared or

is often limited by prepared or

is often limited by prepared or processed foods now plant-based diets

processed foods now plant-based diets

processed foods now plant-based diets are not for everyone

are not for everyone

are not for everyone but if you’re interested in giving it a

but if you’re interested in giving it a

but if you’re interested in giving it a shot or just want to pursue another diet

shot or just want to pursue another diet

shot or just want to pursue another diet whose personal or global impact you

whose personal or global impact you

whose personal or global impact you support here are a few tips and tricks

support here are a few tips and tricks

support here are a few tips and tricks about how to make that change a bit more

about how to make that change a bit more

about how to make that change a bit more manageable get started it can often be a

manageable get started it can often be a

manageable get started it can often be a good idea to pick a certain number of

good idea to pick a certain number of

good idea to pick a certain number of days each week to pursue a vegan diet or

days each week to pursue a vegan diet or

days each week to pursue a vegan diet or whatever diet it is you might want to

whatever diet it is you might want to

whatever diet it is you might want to support meat free Monday is a popular

support meat free Monday is a popular

support meat free Monday is a popular campaign that is essentially described

campaign that is essentially described

campaign that is essentially described by its title whatever works best for you

by its title whatever works best for you

by its title whatever works best for you picking a few days a week to pursue your

picking a few days a week to pursue your

picking a few days a week to pursue your diet of choice can be a good way for

diet of choice can be a good way for

diet of choice can be a good way for those with busy lives to still make a

those with busy lives to still make a

those with busy lives to still make a change or even just for those who want

change or even just for those who want

change or even just for those who want to make a less onerous change perhaps

to make a less onerous change perhaps

to make a less onerous change perhaps what’s now referred to as the

what’s now referred to as the

what’s now referred to as the flexitarian diet to get this started it

flexitarian diet to get this started it

flexitarian diet to get this started it can be a fun and engaging process to

can be a fun and engaging process to

can be a fun and engaging process to spend a part of your sunday making your

spend a part of your sunday making your

spend a part of your sunday making your weekday lunches throughout the week that

weekday lunches throughout the week that

weekday lunches throughout the week that can then be easily picked up and brought

can then be easily picked up and brought

can then be easily picked up and brought on the go at the end of the day however

on the go at the end of the day however

on the go at the end of the day however a more sustainable diet does not exist

a more sustainable diet does not exist

a more sustainable diet does not exist in the absolute what’s most important is

in the absolute what’s most important is

in the absolute what’s most important is that we are all informed and

that we are all informed and

that we are all informed and knowledgeable about the food we eat and

knowledgeable about the food we eat and

knowledgeable about the food we eat and its impacts both personally as well as

its impacts both personally as well as

its impacts both personally as well as globally with this mindset we can begin

globally with this mindset we can begin

globally with this mindset we can begin to use food for change thanks

to use food for change thanks

to use food for change thanks [Applause]

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