FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Food

LA Councilman Introduces Law Requiring Entertainment Venues to Offer Vegan Food

"Without reducing our beef consumption, it's going to be very difficult for us to reduce climate change," said councilman Paul Koretz
Veggie burger

You can’t accuse Los Angeles city councilman Paul Koretz of not staying busy. He has been an instrumental part of the city’s proposed bans on the sale of fur and on the use of plastic straws, has suggested a crackdown on Bird electric scooters, introduced a motion to free a thirtysomething elephant named Billy from the Los Angeles Zoo, tried and failed to have the Playboy Mansion designated as a historic landmark, advised the city to create a “faith-based task force” to protect religious communities, and led a successful campaign to rename an streetcorner in honor of Pink’s Hot Dogs.

Advertisement

And all of that shit, it’s worth noting, has happened within the past two years. But Koretz is still at it, and his most recent proposal means that the city’s movie theaters and sports arenas might have to start serving Impossible Burgers, kale smoothies, and other plant based proteins—whether they want to or not.

According to CBS LA, Koretz has introduced a motion that would require public venues like theaters, the Los Angeles International Airport, the L.A. Zoo, and even Meals on Wheels programs to add at least one vegan protein option to all of their menus.

Koretz cited a number of studies that connect the meat and dairy industries to an increase in greenhouse gas-emissions. “We only have a few years to dramatically drop our greenhouse gas production and production of beef items, especially, generates so much methane,” he said. “Without reducing our beef consumption, it's going to be very difficult for us to reduce climate change.”

If the motion passes, it would make Los Angeles the first city in the U.S. to straight up stiff-arm its entertainment venues into serving meat-free snacks. (But, as Variety notes, many movie theaters already offer vegan popcorn, and Dodger Stadium and the Staples Center already have vegan food vendors as well. This is Los Angeles, after all.)

Although there could be challenges in, say, requiring all of LAX’s 90-plus restaurants and coffee shops to ensure their menus have at least one vegan option, Koretz says it’s for the best. “In a group, the person that's vegan decides where the whole group ends up eating," he said. "So a lot of restaurants are leaving money on the table by not offering some vegan options." (And some of us talk shit about that person on the drive to the restaurant, Paul.)

PETA is, of course, delighted by this—but in a week in which they’ve suggested that meat-based expressions like “bringing home the bacon” are the same thing as using racist or homophobic language, they can take a seat.

LAist reports that Koretz will present his motion to a special committee and, if it is approved, it will be sent to the full city council. If a majority approve it, then it will go to the city’s attorney to draft a law, and not offering vegan hot dogs could literally be against the law by February 2019.

You may respond to this information with the meal of your choice.