Our Hen House: Vegan & Animal Rights Movement | Stories from the Frontlines of Animal Liberation

Greener by Default with Katie Cantrell & Ilana Braverman

Feb 10, 2024

Katie Cantrell and Ilana Braverman, co-founders of Greener by Default, discuss making plant-based choices the norm in foodservice. They share how their initiative has successfully implemented plant-based options in institutions like hospitals and universities, sparking a cultural shift. The challenges of maintaining vegan principles in social settings add humor and depth. They also critique the meat industry and advocate for community engagement, emphasizing inclusivity in fostering sustainable food choices.

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ANECDOTE

Littering Incident on Road

Jasmin witnessed a truck driver repeatedly littering in traffic and felt compelled to report it.
The graffiti of careless behavior highlights issues with environmental responsibility and respect.

INSIGHT

Power of Internal Allies

Internal allies within institutions are crucial to implementing plant-based defaults successfully.
Institutions prioritize programs that align with their carbon reduction and health goals when pushed from inside.

ADVICE

Pilot Program Guidance

Pilot plant-based defaults with stakeholders involved to reduce risks and measure success.
Track diner satisfaction, carbon reduction, and cost savings before permanent adoption.

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When it comes to food, taking away people’s choices generally won’t work, but it’s entirely possible to help them make better ones. Greener By Default’s Katie Cantrell & Ilana Braverman join us this week to discuss their successes in making the plant-based choice the obvious one on event menus and in cafeterias and dining halls around the world.

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Katie is a social entrepreneur passionate about creating a healthy, sustainable, and just food system. As the founder of the Factory Farming Awareness Coalition, Katie spent a decade leading food policy workshops at universities, government agencies, and Fortune 500 corporations. She is now utilizing her expertise to implement plant-based defaults in corporate foodservice. Katie holds a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from UC Berkeley.

Ilana’s work focuses on the nexus of climate change and food; she gave a TEDx talk on the topic, “Moving Beyond a Hamburger Default World.” Prior to co-founding Greener by Default, Ilana served as the Director of Outreach for Better Food Foundation and Program Manager at Farm Forward. Ilana holds a Master’s degree in Animals and Public Policy from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University and a Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences with a focus in Human Dimensions from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

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This episode is sponsored in part by The Culture & Animals Foundation, which sponsors artists, scholars, and activists in our collective efforts to understand our fellow species more deeply and to further their rights. CAF provides annual grants, an arts prize, a lecture series, and a fellowship. Visit cultureandanimals.org for more information. The Culture & Animals Foundation: Think. Create. Explore. Celebrate.

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This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision-makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org.