Claudine David | The Montclarion
I sat in my car next to the drive-thru, ready to devour my meal. After smothering the burger in ketchup, I bit into the juicy meatless meat and was immediately surprised that this vegan burger, that so many people rolled their eyes at, tasted like an actual burger.
Over a month ago, Burger King quietly introduced a new item on their menu called “The Impossible Whopper.” Made with 100% plant-based ingredients, the burgers are vegan-friendly and have an overall positive impact on the environment.
The burger had a smokey, fresh-off-the-grill taste like a regular beef burger. I don’t like many toppings on my burger so I only asked for lettuce, but I suggest ordering cheese on the Impossible Whopper just to add some more flavor.
https://twitter.com/AleeBebex3/status/1194312013671010312
If the Impossible Whopper is healthier, less impactful on the environment and tastes like a regular Burger King whopper, what is stopping people from buying this?
One of the reasons is ignorance. Instead of accepting that climate change is happening, the majority of people push scientific facts away as if it doesn’t apply to them. Some of the most ignorant and overused excuses are “climate change is a hoax, it’s a way to make money” or “the Earth has been going through hot and cold cycles for years” and, lastly, “one person is not going to make a difference.”
Yes, it is true that the Earth goes through weather cycles. However, the global population is growing at such a rapid rate that we are creating waste at a rate that the Earth cannot handle.
Beef consumption is one of the top contributors to climate change. According to Nature.com, “activities relating to land management, including agriculture and forestry, produce almost one-quarter of heat-trapping gases resulting from human activities.”
In other words, beef-producing cattle need land to graze. That land must come from somewhere and unfortunately, that land is taken from places like the Amazon rainforest.
With an increasing global population, the demand for meat is only growing.
I’m not trying to convince you to stop eating meat entirely. But limiting meat consumption to three days a week rather than five days a week would be making a change. If people got rid of the negative stereotype surrounding vegetarians and vegans, then hopefully people would be more open to trying options like the Impossible Whopper.
https://twitter.com/vegalerts/status/1194381509572136960
Over the past 10 years, I’ve noticed the vegetarian and vegan sections at restaurants and grocery stores are growing and these companies are slowly making progress to satisfy their customers.
When certain foods become popular, food industries must redesign their menus to meet customers demands. If more people buy vegan and vegetarian foods, then that’s what will be sold on the market.
Sometimes access to plant-based foods can be limited and expensive. The Impossible Whopper costs $5.59 and is found at every Burger King across the United States. Other fast-food restaurants are set to follow in Burger King’s footsteps.
At just $5.59, there’s really nothing to lose from just trying the Impossible Whopper. If you take a bite and hate it you can throw it out. However, if you enjoy the vegan burger, you’ve just opened the door to tons of other plant-based options leading toward a healthier and more sustainable life.
