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They’re not picky eaters. They just want to eat with a purpose.
Friendly Love Group for Nature, People, and Animals, an activist group of kids 8 to 9 years old, plans to protest in front of the Oregon Museum of Science & Industry tomorrow to press the museum to live up to its values of using “our connections and resources to take actions to improve planetary health, create shared prosperity for communities, and evolve OMSI for future generations.”
The child-led advocacy group based in Southeast Portland demands that OMSI’s in-museum restaurant, Theory, make 50% of its menu plant based because “eating more plants is crucial for slowing climate change and protecting animals and the environment, and protecting health.”
A document from the kids’ parents, given to WW, says the initiative was born when members of the group visited OMSI and had to leave for lunch because there wasn’t enough vegetarian food on Theory’s menu.
“This was surprising for a cool place like OMSI,” the document says.
The Friendly Love Group wants OMSI to “walk your talk” and live up to its five- and 20-year vision for sustainability, which includes reducing its environmental impact. The advocates push for Epicurean Group, which operates Theory, to “rapidly introduce a menu that emphasizes plant-based options.”
Museum senior director Heather Wadia tells WW, “OMSI’s Theory Restaurant and the Empirical Cafe both have vegan food options based on feedback from museum guests and staff.”
She says that emails about the student protest have alerted OMSI that the vegan menu isn’t visible enough. “We have not done enough to publicize our menu flexibility and vegan options with visitors. This correction has already begun.”
Many activists are pressuring restaurants to make their menus more sustainable these days. On June 7, the Humane Society of the United States announced that Western Oregon University had signed on to the Forward Food Pledge. Almost a third of the meals on WOU’s menus are plant based. By signing the pledge, the university committed to lift that proportion to 50% by 2027.
“We are thrilled to be working with WOU to incorporate fun and innovative new menu options while lowering their environmental footprint and saving animals,” Kym Bower, food-service innovation specialist at the Humane Society, said in a press release.
Closer to home, Reed College has a partnership with food-service company Bon Appétit that guides sustainable practices like sourcing ingredients from local farmers and using biodegradable and reusable products.
Friendly Love plans to protest in front of OMSI on Saturday, June 8, at 1:15 pm.