Global interest in plant-based cuisine has exploded in recent years.
Although only about 6 percent of Americans identify as fully vegan (no meat, eggs, dairy or fish), many people see the benefit of limiting their consumption of animal products for health, environmental and moral reasons.
The market has responded to this consumer demand. Plant-based food restaurants aren't difficult to find in large cities (there are two in my small neighborhood alone), and many meat-serving restaurants offer some sort of vegan fare.
Even McDonald's, home of beef burgers and processed chicken, added a vegan burger _ "El Veggo" _ to its menu in Finland.
In short, the once-fringe food fad is now fairly mainstream and doesn't need the heavy hand of government to help it grow.
Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Koretz on Wednesday unveiled a proposal to require vegan food be served at large entertainment venues, movie theaters and other facilities in the city. Well, it's actually a proposal to ask the appropriate city departments to study doing so. Nevertheless, Koretz said at a press conference Wednesday that his intention is to require food concessions in places such as Staples Center and LAX to have at least one vegan food option on the menu.
Koretz is a friend of the environment and animals, and bless him for that, but he ought to back off. Vegan food is not like plastic straws, which he and other council members are seeking to limit within the city. The crucial difference is that the market is not successfully providing alternatives to the environmentally unfriendly single-use plastic market; quite the contrary. Governments, especially cities that have to deal with trash, have a right and even an obligation to take steps to reduce the source of this waste.
But the market seems to be working just fine behalf of plant-based foods.
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