By Jodi Gruhn, Wholesome Minnesota Director
One of my favorite parts of my role as the Wholesome Minnesota Director is connecting with students. It has been a great pleasure to visit local high schools to help students connect the dots between human and planetary health and our food system. The majority of the students I have met have had no idea that animal agriculture had a role in climate change and hadn’t thought about how it contributes to the health crisis that plagues us. One student said, “How come no one tells us this stuff.” The good news? These students are now armed with information and some are activated to make change.
For example, students at one high school have written an email to be sent to the Nutrition Director and the Superintendent. Their next efforts are focussed on getting messages out to the student body about ways to help the environment. Treats are always part of my visits and students have requested recipes for vegan cupcakes and cookies (not the healthiest request, but I’ll take it!).
It’s a series of small wins that create change. Connecting the dots for even a few students can be the spark that sets off a movement in a school. At Wholesome Minnesota, our goal is to light that spark. Contact me at jodi.gruhn@exploreveg.org if you’re interested in bringing Wholesome Minnesota to a classroom, organization or Green Team.