Pascal Tyrrell

It is getting easier to change my diet because the labeling of food packing has improved so that its easy to identify food that have less impact on the environment. The second aspect of changing my diet to support a healthier environment is mostly a matter of substitution. Creating meals that are well balanced and healthy is not really difficult but does require breaking out of some routines. Simple acts such as looking for locally produced food or wine is really an easy and straightforward way to start down that path. Once the local farmer's markets open up again, we plan on using them as a starting point for our weekly shopping and then add or supplement from there. For now, my wife and stepdaughter are joining me in eating a meatless or animal-free meal everyday.

My vision of a sustainable community is one that deals with its resource, energy and waste on a local basis. Local communities would focus on what is available to them within a limited area to address most of the its needs. It would also be required to dispose of its waste or to reuse it in some fashion. The idea would be to put the onus on the people who live in the area to take responsibility for their actions and to avoid offloading the consequences on communities or environments far away. 

I think that people in North America believe that meat protein is healthier than plant protein and that it is a necessary part of their diet. Meat is also a symbol of economic status in N. America as it usually costs more than plant based foods. The ability to buy meat is therefore indicative of financial wellbeing. 
I think the shift away from a meat based diet will require education primarily but could also be helped by a cultural movement. For example, fish wasn't always a very popular food, it was one that local communities ate because of their proximity to the sea or other water body. Eating fish was popularized through its health benefits but also because restaurants started to popularize it through the dishes they served that people then adopted on a mainstream basis. If a similar process was inspired for plant based dishes or diet, it could help to move us away from eating meat. In short, making it cool to be vegan : )