Food

The menu that we have designed includes main courses that are both veg and non-veg (as they say in India). All other dishes are vegetarian -- some Taiwan vegan, i.e. no meat, eggs, dairy, garlic, onion, and some are vegetarian, with garlic and onion allowed. We also have eggs on the menu because many vegetarians actually maintain a "lacto-ovarian" diet.

Taiwan has a very active "go-veg to save the planet" movement and some of our volunteers and organizers have asked about our inclusion of some meat-containing dishes in the design of our menu. The green conferencing work group, however, has focused more on the source of our food and how it is produced in terms of its impact on greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.

Many people are aware that an effective means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts is to eat a mostly vegetable-based diet produced locally in an organic/sustainable agricultural system. However, animals for food can be raised sustainably, and integrated as part of an holistic farming system (Permaculture, for example).

Many of the vegetarian products sold in Taiwan are not produced locally. Many are produced by "industrial farming" methods using chemical pesticides and fertilizers, which degrade natural eco-systems. Many are highly packaged. Are any of these better than organic pork from a pig raised humanely locally? It is highly debatable. We also respect that many people might abstain from eating meat not just for environmental reasons but also for spiritual/religious reasons. We wish to respect these needs. Some Congress participants come from countries in which meat is consumed as part of their traditional diets. Similarly, we also wish to respect their needs and provide some meat options during the Congress for this reason.

With this in mind, we have concentrated on procuring locally produced vegetables, fruits, rice, and meat that is either organic or produced through some natural farming system.

In the days to come, we plan to include more information on the menu and the organizations supplying our produce, tea, beverages, snacks, etc. at the Congress.