Amanda Appelson: Bringing Plant-Based Solutions to Bodegas

Amanda Appelson is the Marketing Manager at Plantega, which works to make plant-based foods more accessible through bodegas across New York City. Plantega partners with bodegas – neighborhood corner deli stores and a staple of New York culture – to supplement existing menus with 100% plant-based deli-style options that are healthier for people and the planet. Plantega's model empowers retailers with ingredients, training, and operational and marketing support to sell plant-based options via their deli counters, while owners make additional revenue by meeting the rising consumer demand for more sustainable food. It is a win-win-win solution that provides upsides for people, planet, and profit.

One of the most important things you can do regarding climate change is talk about it.

• Amanda’s love of animals and nature inspired her to study marine science to learn more about our planet’s oceans. During her studies, Amanda learned about the impacts of climate change on ocean ecosystems inspiring her passion and drive to be part of solutions. What is an area of study that you are interested in, and how might that inspire your future career path? What is something that you have learned about climate change that has left an impression on you, and how might that motivate you to be part of solutions?
• According to the United Nations, around one-third of greenhouse gas emissions come from our food and agricultural systems, making it a huge area of opportunity. One way to reduce emissions from the sector is by embracing plant-rich diets. According to a study by the University of Oxford, people who follow a vegan diet (which avoids all animal products, including meat, eggs, and dairy) have 75% lower food-related greenhouse gas emissions compared to those with meat heavy diets. Have you ever tried eating a plant-based diet? How could learning more about plant-based diets or adopting one yourself make you part of climate solutions?
• Plantega brings plant-based versions of deli-style foods to hundreds of bodegas across New York City, making plant-based dietary choices more accessible. "As we have seen with bodegas, people respond to the profits from plant-based foods. So, if you are willing to buy that, people will serve it. So, we have power in changing our food landscape," Amanda says. Have you considered how your or your family's daily purchases could drive climate solutions from a consumer standpoint? What is one consumer choice you want to change in your life or advocate for in your family spending?
• Amanda recalls how studying in Costa Rica as part of a high school trip and seeing the impact of a warming world on sea turtles made her realize that our collective lifestyles and actions have consequences. With this understanding, Amanda felt pressure to change but also realized that her actions alone would not be big enough to make a substantial impact. Finding and joining others who felt similar has been helpful for Amanda to feel supported in making a more significant impact. What are some ways you can team up with other local groups or organizations to have a larger impact beyond your own actions?

Learn about the solutions in this story.

• Solution Sectors: Land Sinks, Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
• Solutions: Reduced Food Waste, Plant-Rich Diets
• For more on all of Project Drawdown’s climate solutions, visit drawdown.org/solutions
• Learn more about Amanda’s work at Plantega

Explore Climate Solutions 101, the world's first major educational effort focused solely on climate solutions. This video series combines Project Drawdown’s trusted resources with the expertise of inspiring, scientifically knowledgeable voices from around the world: drawdown.org/climate-solutions-101.

Check out the Drawdown Roadmap, a science-based strategy for accelerating climate solutions that ensures efforts to stop climate change by governments, businesses, investors, philanthropists, community organizations, and others are as impactful as possible.

Visit the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, a resource that shares research, communications strategy, and opinion polling on climate communications.

• Subscribe to the Project Drawdown newsletter to receive biweekly insights and inspiration to guide your own climate solutions journey.
• Drawdown Ecochallenge, presented by Ecochallenge.org, is a fun and social way to take measurable action on the top climate solutions. Take the challenge, and see how a few weeks of action add up to a lifetime of change for you and the planet. If you want to take action on climate solutions like Amanda, start a challenge today.
• The Drawdown Labs Job Function Action Guides are practical resources that highlight specific, high-impact climate actions employees in common corporate professions can take at work.
• ChangeX connects people with proven ideas for strengthening communities with the resources needed to implement those changes. Explore countless ways to improve your community and help the world reach drawdown.
• Climate Generation's Green Careers for a Changing Climate Instructional Supplement (for Grades 6-8) contains resources to help young people learn about Green STEM Careers—paths that use STEM skills to help reduce the impacts of climate change. Throughout this instructional supplement, students use Project Drawdown resources to make important connections between climate solutions and different careers.
• Solutions Journalism Network highlights the importance of reporting stories of climate solutions in the media to create a more equitable and sustainable world. Visit their Teaching Climate Solutions resource to find curated collections and the latest examples of climate solutions journalism.
• SubjectToClimate (StC) is a nonprofit online connector for K-12 leaders of all subjects to find materials on climate change at no cost. Explore StC’s educator-generated database to connect to Project Drawdown-based climate education resources.