West Hollywood goes vegan by requiring plant-based dishes at all city events

West Hollywood is going green with plant-based food now required at all city events, and animal products will only be available upon request.

The city council voted Monday to pass a resolution that will establish the new change that takes effect immediately. The resolution outlines how eating a vegan diet can help to fight global warming, citing research from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that reports plant-based meals can, on average, result in a 63% "lower carbon footprint" than meals made with meat, dairy and other animal products. 

"Every aspect of a food system, from production to distribution, intersects with the climate crisis," the resolution states.

The new requirement will not apply to events that are co-sponsored or privately held events in West Hollywood.

City officials said they decided to start requiring plant-based menus in an effort to encourage eating habits that are more sustainable and compassionate. They also cited research suggesting that meat production is a contributing factor to increased emissions of greenhouse gases leading to climate change.

A 2022 study from the World Health Organization's Collaborating Centre for Nutrition and University of Warwick's Medical School found that transitioning to a plant-based diet had the potential to reduce land used for food production by 76%. The same study reported that going vegan could also slash diet-related greenhouse gas emissions by 46%.

West Hollywood will try to prioritize serving plant-based food from locally owned businesses when possible, city officials said.

Mercy For Animals, a lobbying group that backed the resolution, said it has been working with local governments to change their purchasing habits.

"Mercy For Animals commends the city of West Hollywood's commitment to serving plant-based food by default," the group's CEO and president, Leah Garcés, said in a statement.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors made a similar effort at going vegan earlier this year, voting in February to incorporate more plant-based ingredients — and fewer animal products — into food that's served at county-run facilities.