One of the simplest and most effective actions we can take to stop climate change is to stop eating meat and reach for the veggies. Not only does the vegan diet have great health benefits, but it is also a way to show one’s compassion to all living things, and do one’s part to ensure that climate change does not get worse. Not a day goes by without news of a natural disaster in one corner of the world or another. According to a New York Times study, livestock has a larger carbon footprint than vegetables. Basically, beef generates 24 times the amount of greenhouse gas emissions than vegetables. Now is the time to act green and adopt a vegan lifestyle, even at work. Recently, I realized that I could take advantage of all the time I spend with my dear colleagues and offer them what I know about a truly noble and healthy diet that can greatly increase health, happiness and even productivity in the workplace. Here are ten tips to gently and diplomatically introduce an animal-free diet to your colleagues and get dialogue going about why it is so great to eat vegan: 3. Pack a vegan lunch and share - Your lunch room will be filled with the mouth-watering scent of your meal, and it will have your colleagues clamoring to find out what you have on your plate. You can happily tell them, “It’s vegan and yummy!” Offer to share some of your lunch with them. 4. Decorate your cubicle or office with friendly vegan propaganda – While political and religious messages are frowned upon in most work places, there is nothing wrong with posting educational fact sheets on the vegan diet in your office or cubicle. After all, most companies allow employees to decorate their offices to make them more personable. So why not post something educational on the vegan diet? If you are looking for a poster, please follow the links at the end of this article. 6. Celebrate special global events - Do you need an excuse to bring good food to work? If so, then choose one of the many global events to celebrate, such as Earth Hour (March), Earth Day (April), World Vegetarian Day (October) - the list is never ending. Any one of these special days can be a good excuse for you to whip up a batch of vegan oatmeal cookies or a plate of spicy veggie samosas to offer your colleagues so you can start up a conversation on the vegan diet. 7. Launch an Employee Environmental Group (EEG) – Most forward-thinking employers, in the public and private sector, encourage their employees to volunteer in the community. Make a proposal to your employer to start an EEG. For example, in every department across the Canadian government there is an EEG. An EEG could assist the organization in adopting green business practices or could also organize an employee vegan food fair with local merchants and eco-groups to raise awareness of the importance of being vegan. This could also be a great opportunity to develop job skills and networking with colleagues across the company. For informative posters promoting the vegan diet go
to:
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1.
Bring a vegan dessert to work
– In my office, candies are everywhere. Instead of leaving a
bowl of candies at your desk, have a plate of homemade vegan chocolate
chip cookies or vegan chocolate cake for colleagues to sample. No
one will say no to scrumptious looking desserts. They don’t
need to even know that it doesn’t contain any animal products
until they take a bite and then you can pleasantly surprise them!
2.
Offer a vegan dish at the company
lunch or pot luck – In some work places, employees
have informal lunches together and they each contribute some food.
Why not bring a vegan delicacy for them to try? Most people are open
to trying new dishes and once they take a bite of the delicious one
you have made, they’ll be more curious to learn about the vegan
lifestyle.
5.
Give a vegan gift -
Some companies celebrate national or religious occasions. People often
bring sweets to share with their colleagues, and sometimes gifts are
also exchanged. Take advantage of these opportunities and share vegan
sweets. If gifts are exchanged, offer one with a personal touch and
create a homemade vegan recipe book filled with your favorite recipes
to help your co-workers get started cooking vegan for themselves.
8.
Be a vegan fashion model – Sport sizzling vegan
wear and show your colleagues that being vegan is not just about what
we eat but also what we wear. Many fashion designers are now producing
vegan fashions, like shoes and handbags, made without any animal products
such as leather, silk and wool. Instead, man-made fibers, organic
cottons, hemp, or other eco-friendly materials are used. Your colleagues
will be in awe when you tell them that your smart threads are vegan.
9.
Order a vegan meal
at a company lunch or dinner – People often think
it is difficult to eat vegan when going out for a business lunch or
dinner. Prove them wrong by ordering vegan or asking the restaurant
to adapt one of their dishes for you. Your colleagues will see that
eating out doesn’t have to always be with meat and that many
restaurants today are open to adapting their menu to accommodate vegans.
Plus, they’ll notice that you’re the only one in the room
with the energy to continue working after eating your meal, while
they’ll be ready to take a nap after their heavy animal-filled
meal.
10.
Ask if the next company lunch
can be completely vegan - Some companies provide meals
for staff at special meetings. If you are responsible for organizing
such events, you could propose that the entire meal be vegan and explain
the added health and environmental benefits, as well as the benefit
it will have on the image of the company. As a bonus, vegan dishes
tend to be less expensive, so not only would this be light on the
heart, but also light on the company’s pocketbook. What boss
wouldn’t like that?
