Jonathan Safran Foer's 2019 book We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast has been sitting on my shelf since before the pandemic, waiting too patiently to be picked up. With Earth Day approaching next Thursday, I opened the book with curiosity and was swept into his compelling narrative which weaves together illustrations of humanity's tremendous capabilities and shortcomings. Can we ever truly believe, care, and act enough in the face of something as massive as climate change?

As he writes, if Americans could shut off the lights for nationwide evening blackouts, submit to high income taxes, and refrain from luxuries during World War II to collectively support the war effort, then why not for climate change?

I couldn't help but feel the chilling parallel to current events: If Americans can wear masks, shutter stores, home school, and lock down for months on end, then why not for climate change?

And then why should a public health organization such as Plant Powered Metro New York raise a voice for the climate? Because the earth's health is human health, its longevity is ours, its biodiversity is ours, and the answer to both is the same: Refraining from eating animals is one of the most transformative acts we can do today, individually and collectively, to restore the natural balance of health, inside our bodies and throughout our planet.

"Not all actions are equal... The four highest-impact things an individual can do to tackle climate change are eat a plant-based diet, avoid air travel, live car-free, and have fewer children. Of those four actions, only plant-based eating immediately addresses methane and nitrous oxide, the most urgently important greenhouse gases.... Everyone will eat a meal relatively soon and can immediately participate in the reversal of climate change." (p. 98-99)

Together we are part of Safran Foer's wave of radical change -- the movement, the essential tidal wave required to inspire, push, demand, compel us to make change because if not now, when? We are both the problem and the solution: "We are the flood, and we are the ark."

In health and action,

Lianna Levine Reisner, Network Director

P.S. Learn along with us on Earth Day, next Thursday, April 22, as we explore the intersection between agricultural practices and our health with Ethos Farm and the Rodale Institute. Check out the details below!

Cooking with Chef Carole
Sunday, April 18, 5:00 - 6:15 PM
FREE - register here

Spring has sprung and PPMNY Culinary Educator Carole Levy is bringing the light and bright flavors of the season to her next cooking demonstration. Tune in to learn her plant-based recipes for Sunflower Pate in Lettuce Wraps, Asparagus Chickpea Frittata, and Potato, Peas, and Radish Salad -- you’ll have lunch and brunch covered!

Resetting Our Food System: Farm to Fork
Earth Day! Thursday, April 22, 7:00 - 8:30 PM
with Ron Weiss, MD, Ethos Primary Care; master farmer Nora Pugliese, Ethos Farm; and Jeff Tkach, Chief Impact Officer from the Rodale Institute
Presented with Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan and
Hazon: The Jewish Lab for Sustainability
FREE - register here

Join us this Earth Day to explore how we can forge a better future for health by bringing nutrients back to the soil and the plants we grow. Learn how Ron Weiss, MD, supports his patient’s lifestyle changes, including a whole food, plant-based diet, to prevent and heal disease, alongside organic agriculture experts, Ethos Farm Master Farmer, Nora Pugliese, and Rodale Institute Chief Impact Officer, Jeff Tkach, on how regenerative agriculture practices have the power to heal the planet and restore the nutritional value of our food.

Save the Date!

Monday, April 26, 6:30 - 7:30 PM:
Nutrition Support Circle

Wednesday, April 28, 7:00 - 8:00 PM:
Plant Powered Book Club: The Blue Zones

Tuesday, May 4, 7:00 - 8:00 PM:
Eating & Living to Break Generational Cycles of Chronic Disease
with Columbus Batiste, MD, FACC, FSCAI,
Presented with Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan

Monday, May 3, 7:00 - 8:30 PM:
Get Started with Whole Food, Plant-Based Nutrition

Wednesday, May 5, 7:00 - 7:45 PM:
Intro to Mindfulness: Eating with Awareness

Wednesdays, May 12 - June 30, 7:00 - 7:45 PM:
Scents to Senses: How to Eat Mindfully


Earlier this week Kim A. Williams, Sr., MD, MACC, FAHA, MASNC, FESC, joined us for a data-rich discussion on the role of nutrition in health disparities, especially among people of color. We wrapped up the evening with a Simple Black Bean Salad cooking demonstration by PPMNY Culinary Educator Brandy Cochrane. Get the recipe here.

Our Family Fitness & Food Workshop was a hit this past Sunday! We began with PPMNY Organizer Danielle Medina leading an Earth Day-focused yoga practice followed by a demonstration of healthy Strawberry Banana Breakfast Bars by PPMNY intern and dietitian Natalie Khoo.

Debunking Keto, Paleo, and Other Low-Carb Diets with Brenda Davis, RD

Presented by Rochester Lifestyle Medicine Institute and the Rochester Area Vegan Society
Sunday, April 18, 7:00 PM EDT
FREE - register here

Respected nutrition expert and author Brenda Davis, RD, offers her insights on low-carb diet trends and reveals the science behind why these diets should be discouraged. She’ll compare and contrast Keto and Paleo with a plant-based diet to demonstrate why whole food, plant-based eating is best for optimal health.

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SIBO and Leaky Gut: What the Science Says
Presented by Michael Greger, MD, FACLM

Friday, April 23, 3:00 - 4:00 PM EDT
$5 minimum donation - register here

NutritionFacts.org’s Dr. Michael Greger will share the science and address the confusion around common gastrointestinal symptoms like bloating and abdominal pain. Dr. Greger will discuss the controversial diagnoses of SIBO and leaky gut, explain intestinal permeability, and answer your questions.

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10th Annual Food Revolution Summit
Hosted by John and Ocean Robbins of Food Revolution
Saturday, April 24 - Sunday, May 2
FREE - register here

Learn from 25 of the most respected food and nutrition experts during this online summit. You’ll hear the most current research on food and nutrition and the link between our immune system and the prevention of type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cancer, obesity, and other chronic conditions. Neal Barnard, MD, Michael Greger, MD, Joel Furhman, MD, Milton Mills, MD, Brenda Davis, RD, and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams are among the distinguished speakers.

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Core Concepts for Growing Plant-Based Children
An excerpt from Nourish: The Definitive Plant-Based Nutrition Guide for Families by Reshma Shah, MD MPH and Brenda Davis, RD, presented by The Plantrician Project
Read the blog post here

In this excerpt from Nourish: The Definitive Plant-Based Nutrition Guide for Families, authors Reshma Shah, MD, MPH, and Brenda Davis, RD, share the basics on how to plan and implement a plant-based lifestyle for children. Learn how to provide children with the optimal nutrients for development and create a foundation for healthy eating.