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CBS News
24-03-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Teen introduces program to Cambridge that helps the planet with plant-based meals
A teen is introducing an initiative in Cambridge, Massachusetts that she hopes can help the planet with a simple change that starts with people's diets. Seventeen-year-old Ruti Pfeffer is leading the "Eat for Impact" program this month, hoping to better the environment with planet-conscious meals. "For me, the thing that started it was, I care about how the animals are treated in our food systems, but for some people that's really about the environment," said Pfeffer. The junior at Meridian Academy worked with city leaders and restaurants to include more plant-based menu options for the month of March with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. "I think it's super important because of how much plant-based eating can reduce our emissions," she explained. Eat for Impact Cambridge is one of five initiatives happening around the world this month. Others are taking place in New Jersey, Nigeria, France, and the Netherlands. City leaders were happy to get on board with the program and support the teen. "Including more fresh, local produce and plant-based foods in meals helps reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and Type II diabetes. We are looking forward to the partnerships between 'Eat for Impact' and restaurants here in the city," the manager of the public health nutrition services at the Cambridge Public Department Bridget DeVeau, said in a statement. Base Crave is one of the restaurants adding new climate-friendly meals this month. "Since she called, we are now offering basil tofu and eggplant basil paneer," said restaurant owner, Bhola Pandey. Pandey told WBZ-TV that the cafe already has an extensive vegetarian menu, but the program is a good reminder that what we eat and how food is sourced and prepared has a larger impact. "This is the only planet we have," added Pandey. "Food is basically all medicine. What you eat makes you." Both Base Crave and Pfeffer hope their efforts will inspire diners to make small daily choices to better their health and the health of the planet. "Hopefully, these restaurants will keep the wonderful dishes they've created because truly they look so amazing," said Pfeffer. Base Crave says they plan on keeping their newly designed dishes on the menu permanently. "Let's encourage people to eat more vegetables," concluded Pandey. The "Eat for Impact" program in Cambridge was made possible with the help of the non-profit Planted Society. At the end of the month, a climate report on the program's impact will be published to highlight the restaurant's greenhouse gas savings. According to Planted Society, past initiatives have reached an average of 600,000 individuals, sparking conversations and driving awareness. For more information about "Eat for Impact", click here .
Boston Globe
11-03-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Meet the high school student who wants to bring plant-based eating to the masses
'This started as my concern for how animals were being treated. But [these practices] are really terrible for the environment in a lot of ways, from the massive amount of water used to the waste that it produces,' Pfeffer says. 'For example, eating a plant-based burger instead of an actual one can save up to the equivalent of driving 60 miles in a car in terms of carbon emissions.' Advertisement Pfeffer cold-called several restaurants throughout the city or visited in person to explain her mission. It was nerve-racking at first, she says, but many businesses were encouraging. Currently, Althea, Base Crave, and Le Macaron are serving plant-based specials at her urging. At Althea in Central Square, owner Greg Reeves now serves a local fried enoki mushroom with basil lemon puree ($13) and harissa cauliflower with smoky cashew romesco and garlic chips ($18) alongside smoked beef brisket and pork chops. 'It's a cool idea and a fun challenge to how we normally choose and create menu items, and it's really cool to see the impact it has on the environment. Plus, it's always great to help and be part of a local cause,' he says, saying the dishes have sold well, with a boost in reservations thanks to Dine Out Boston. Base Crave, an Asian fusion restaurant, now serves plantain basil curry and shiitake mushroom chili. Pastry shop Le Macaron added lemon ginger and elderberry raspberry tarts. Advertisement Smoked beets and escarole with black garlic, yogurt, and pumpkin seeds at Althea in Central Square. Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff Pfeffer launched the effort through Planted Society, a multi-city organization that, among other initiatives, partners with local restaurants to introduce plant-based specials as a monthly challenge. When the challenge ends, the group produces a report to highlight environmental benefits achieved during the month, quantifying significant reductions in greenhouse gasses — and hopefully reshaping menus in the long term. To prepare, Pfeffer also conducted a fellowship through the New Roots Institute, an organization that empowers teenagers to educate peers about factory farming by launching sustainable food campaigns on their campuses. She recommends the program for other young people interested in food activism. 'We all have the power to make change within our communities. I really want to remind young people that they have the power to educate themselves and other people, to learn how to work with others, to do something they really believe in. I think this is really important work,' she says. Today, Pfeffer's favorite dishes are pasta alla norma with eggplant, and she's experimenting with okra. Her family typically shops at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. But she also understands that many people live in 'food deserts' — areas with limited access to grocery stores selling fresh foods. As of September 2024, about 21 percent of Massachusetts households with children reported food insecurity, according to Project Bread. But, in Cambridge, Pfeffer hopes that more restaurants will set the tone for plant-based eating as a legitimate and beneficial way to consume food. Much as frozen or prepackaged meals are the default for many, she hopes that someday, plant-based foods will become the accessible, affordable norm. Advertisement 'I hope that the campaign is able to show people that plant-based food can be absolutely delicious, and that it's really important to be mindful of the impact of the choices that we make,' she says. 'We need more role models of what delicious plant-based food can be — which is exactly what these amazing restaurants are providing.' Kara Baskin can be reached at
