First China VegFest brings "Plantiful" Living to Beijing!
A Festival to Drive Change
Combat climate change. End animal abuse. Conserve natural resources. Prevent zoonotic viruses. Preserve biodiversity. You're just one person...how are you possibly going to tackle these massive goals?
It's not as hard as you think. You can make a difference three times a day by changing your eating habits. And if you want to learn more ways to make a difference, you need to check out China VegFest!
This year, the China Vegan Society launched its first edition of China VegFest, a three-day extravaganza of vegan, eco-friendly, and cruelty-free food, fitness, shopping, entertainment, workshops, and games. China VegFest's mission is to invite the whole community to experience firsthand how fun, easy, and "plantiful" a vegan lifestyle can be.
10,000 veggie lovers eat, drink, play, and learn at Beijing Kerry Centre
This first edition of the China VegFest was in Beijing Kerry Centre at the heart of Beijing's Central Business District. Between October 15-17, 2021, over 50 businesses and nonprofits set up stalls across three sections of the Centre to share their sustainable vegan products and services with over 10,000 visitors of all ages and backgrounds from across China.
A plant-based feast!
Of course, food was a big focus at China VegFest! Festival attendees chowed down on juicy vegan burgers, steaming noodles, foamy oat lattes, fruity almond yogurt smoothies, savory steamed buns, spicy jianbing, crispy vegan chicken nuggets, chocolatey brownies, silky cashew cheesecakes, tangy kombucha, goji-studded superfood salads, flavorful organic fruits and veggies, and enough snacks to open a vegan convenience store.
More than a food festival
VegFest is a platform to connect you with greener, kinder, and healthier solutions for every aspect of your life: the food you eat and the zero-waste dishes you eat with to the clothing you wear, the soap you wash with, the coffee and snacks that perk up your afternoon, the cosmetics you put on your face, the books you read, the fitness routines that keep your body healthy, the art you decorate your home with, the pets you take home to keep you company, the foods you feed your pets, the gifts you give to loved ones, and more. Besides eating and shopping, this year's VegFest welcomed visitors to try a variety of yoga and fitness classes, learn African dance, adopt rescued dogs and cats, and play an Amazing Race-style game to find and solve challenges for prizes!
Plant Power: A small change that makes a big difference
Why plant-based? Well, if we want nearly 8 billion people and their descendants to live well on this planet for many generations to come, the less animal products we eat, the better. Let's look at the numbers:
The use of cows, pigs and other animals for food produces 57% of all global food production emissions--more than double what is produced by plant foods.
Beef alone accounts for a quarter of global emissions created by food production.
Raising one less pig can reduce the waste water discharge of about four to six people.
The typical omnivore produces an average of 1500 kg of carbon dioxide a year, while people who consume 100% plant-based foods produce only 430 kg a year (a difference of 1070 kg, which is equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by 82 trees a year!)
Through China VegFest, the China Vegan Society hopes to make it easy (and fun!) for everyone to consume more plants and less animals and contribute to reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change. This is especially important in China, which not only is the world's most populous country (ie. a small change in individuals' lives can make a BIG difference at the national level) but has also set aggressive climate commitments, including peaking carbon dioxide emissions, lowering carbon intensity by over 65% compared to 2005 levels, achieving 25% non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption, and increasing forest stock volume by 6 billion cubic metres by 2030. These goals are much more achievable when we consume plants instead of animals!
Many well-known brands and fast food chains are joining the sustainable consumption trend: Starbucks has continuously increased plant-based foods and drinks in its stores since 2020 and McDonald's recently launched permanent vegan menu options in several countries. Luxury brands Gucci and Louis Vuitton recently announced they will no longer use animal fur in their designs.
A big thank you to our partners!
China VegFest was made possible through partnership with the Beijing Kerry Centre, as well as the participation of many brands, nonprofits, and independent artisans. The China Vegan Society received tons of positive feedback from participants and visitors, and we would like to thank everyone who made this event such a success!
Venue Sponsor
Beijing Kerry Centre
Food, Market & Interactive Vendors
湖岸出版 Hu'An publications
永续全球环境研究所 Global Environmental Institute
自然之友 Friends of Nature
自然之友·盖娅自然 Friends of Nature - Gaia Natural
北京灵动自然 Beijing Lingdong Natural
北京有机农夫市集 Beijing Farmer's Market
市集绿主张
遇见铲屎官 Meet Pets
地宝电台 Earth Babe Radio
让候鸟飞 Let Birds Fly
煮嚼生活 Chichat Vegan Kitchen
中创碳投 Sino Carbon Innovation & Investment
VoB 京素
浪花朵朵 Post Wave Kids
小步Vegan AfroVeg
TYV (Take Your Veggie)
沃野 Woii
云朵朵厨房 Cloud Kitchen
一穗堂全麦包子铺
无用真味 RealFood
东方珍肉 Zhen Meat
Mr.Raw
新素食
株肉 Zrou
礼的乐活 Livekindly
木本佳 Mu Ben Jia
解味喜面 Noodles Delight
闪闪力量 Twinkling Power
OATLY
JOOMA 美仁
禾然有机 Hona Organic
太平老农 Pacific Farm
京城农夫 Beijing Farmers Market
劈叉咖啡 Picha Coffee
阳光素品生活馆 Sun Vegan Bakery
超级燃料 SuperFuel
DUG土豆奶 DUG Potato Milk
快乐 Tea and Kombucha Lab
裸茶铺 Naked Teas
玮玮道来 Listen Wei
黑酒丸精品咖啡 Pill Coffee
光雅 G.Ya
葫涂社 Hutu Society
小亘 XiaoGen
一莲一SOLOTUS
花治植物实验室
Mizu Botanical Lab
能量水晶手工
5/8 DESIGN LAB
楓桐 Jasmine’s Jewelry
FeedHer
无事屋·乡村书房
好土瓷器
Nude by Korea
Vegan wave
一棵 ECOBUYER
Media Partners
素食星球 VegPlanet
The Beijinger
The Beijinger (Chinese)
TimeOut Beijing
Elvita·
威生活便签
素社 Vegan Society
蔬食之力 Powered by Plants
素食雷达 VegRadar
壹素界
菁Jingkids
Jingkids International
Artists
Jing
The Art of Compassion Project
柿子音乐家工作室 Persimmon Musician Studio
Fitness Instructors & Communities
Taozi Tree Yoga
Lululemon
动觉地球 Fit to Feel
Jindafit
北京接触即兴 Beijing Contact Improv
FitFam Beijing
ComeUnity
WeTrain
Speakers & Workshop Hosts
湖岸出版 Hu'An publications - Jing Yan
素食星球 VegPlanet founder - Hazel Zhang
中国绿发会良食基金 China Green Development Foundation Good Food Fund Policy Officer - Ouyang Huiyu
一穗堂全麦包子铺 General Manager - Zhao Chao
小步Vegan AfroVeg founder - Monica
煮嚼生活 vegan product developer & chef - Elisa
EcoBuyer co-founder - Siqing
闪闪力量 Twinkling Power product manager - He Xinyi
Livekindly礼的乐活 Marketing and Ecommerce Director - Xingxing Bao