With just a week to go until the first ever Climatarian Week, 3-9 July, companies and individuals are pledging their support for a healthy, climate-friendly diet. Among the latest to offer climatarian food and menu choices are LEON Restaurants, Chewton Glen country house hotel and spa and Planet Organic food stores.

People are challenged to try out the climate-friendly diet for a week at http://www.climatarianweek.com/ and share what they are doing, to inspire others, on the site and on social media, #ClimatarianWeek. Whether trying the diet, hosting a meal or eating out, the site has recipes, links and inspiration to help.

Climatarians eat with the climate in mind. Beef and lamb have the highest climate impact while seasonal, local and organic fruit and veg are the most climate friendly options. Eating less meat overall and preventing food waste can reduce your footprint even further. Choosing high-welfare, free-range, organic, grass fed and unprocessed meat helps to limit other health and climate impacts⁽¹⁾.

People in the UK can save a tonne of CO2e⁽²⁾ a year by making everyday meals climatarian. That is roughly equivalent to halving the average UK driver’s mileage⁽³⁾, but much easier to do.

Organisers, Climates Network, have partnered with Australian based Less Meat Less Heat and linked up with the Climate Coalition, whose week of action is happening next week too.

Climates Network co-founder, Liz Sutton, said, “We are delighted to have linked up with the Climate Coalition to highlight the role food can play in tackling climate change, alongside energy, each of which cause roughly a quarter of global carbon emissions. What better way to talk to your MP, friends and family about climate change than over a nutritious and climate-friendly climatarian meal?”

Mark Pershin, CEO and Founder of partner organisation, Less Meat Less Heat, said, “Less Meat Less Heat passionately supports the Climatarian Week initiative by Climates Network not just because we share efforts in spreading the carbon-conscious climatarian diet but also because it inspires the public to try out the approach in a social and supportive environment.”

Kirsty Saddler, Brand & Marketing Director of LEON said, “What we eat determines the health of ourselves and our planet. If we eat more plants and more local seasonal food, and less red meat, we will feel better and so will our precious planet. At LEON we serve naturally fast food that tastes good and makes you feel good inside and out, so we are proud to be supporting Climatarian Week.”

Other companies that have signed up in the last week include Roots Natural Foods of Nottingham, The Straw Kitchen, Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire and Tuppenny Barn Education and Organics at Southbourne in West Sussex.

Restaurants, shops, box schemes and caterers across the UK and in Ireland are celebrating the week. See the full list with links to their websites at http://www.climatarianweek.com/supporters/