Climate Connections Forget burgers and pizza. These teens want beans
Nov 13, 2025
Yandel Ramirez, a dynamic high school senior and passionate youth climate advocate, joins the conversation to highlight a campaign for plant-powered school meals. He shares the push for cafeterias to serve daily options rich in beans, peas, and lentils, emphasizing the importance of fiber in diets. Yandel discusses how introducing these foods early cultivates healthier eating habits for life. The initiative also features engaging meetings with officials in Washington, showing the power of youth advocacy in shaping sustainable food choices.
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School Menus Affect Climate
- School lunches often center on chicken nuggets, burgers, and pizza even though alternatives exist.
- Producing meat and dairy generates high levels of heat-trapping carbon pollution, linking menus to climate impact.
Teen Leader From The Bronx
- Yandel Ramirez, a Bronx high school senior, is leading efforts to change school meals.
- He helps push for more plant-based foods through the Plant-Powered Youth Steering Committee.
Push Policymakers For Concrete Changes
- Meet with decision-makers to request specific policy changes like a minimum fiber requirement.
- Ensure daily plant-based options such as beans, peas, and lentils are offered in school meals.