It’s been a very different year — and that’s probably the understatement of the century. 2020 will go down in the history books for all things unprecedented, and not many will even want to begin to reflect on the turbulence we, as a world, have endured.
There were some positive aspects of what a difficult year for many was, and I want to pay tribute to some in this week’s extended column.
Firstly, it was definitely the year that people became more health, and hygiene focused. While there are all kinds of claims online, the fact is the only diet that is genuinely full of vitamins and minerals essential for boosting your immune system is a plant-based diet, and millions of people around the world realised this, and have since committed to boosting their immune systems and improving the status of their health amid a global public health emergency.
A study this year concluded that a whole food, plant-based diet contains 64-times the number of immunity-boosting antioxidants compared to a diet that includes meat and dairy.
Furthermore, the benefits of Zinc were thrown into the spotlight, and zinc – which can feature prominently in a plant-based diet, is being used to keep people healthy around the world amid this ongoing pandemic.
While most of us had to adhere to lockdowns in order to keep the population safe, the world also got to catch a little bit of a break whilst we spent time at home for the safety and protection of those around us. This unique nature of our global pause resulted in an ecological reset — or to put it simply, the Earth was kind of in a ‘recovery mode’ with nature pressing the reset button. Swans gliding through clear canals of Venice, and blue skies over China where the air is usually choked with smog – were all seen this year.
In China — the world’s biggest polluter – Nasa’s satellites have captured a largest drop-off in pollution ever recorded over the major Chinese cities where factories were powered down and vehicle traffic was grounded to a halt. Italy’s lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic is not only keeping people safe, but it gave the outdoors — which is typically flooded with tourists — a chance to recharge. In photos posted online, ‘Venezia Pulita’ which translates to ‘Clean Venice,’ showed the city’s water looking the cleanest it has for years — and it’s encouraged marine life to return.
While I had to adapt businesses to e-commerce in order to fit a new ‘contactless’ way of doing business, in terms of a personal goal achieved my highlight was contributing to the worldwide vegan sector by launching the world’s first 100% vegan café at a major hub airport this year. Evergreen Organics opened this summer at the state-of-the-art Hamad International Airport, and the opening of our airport café took us back to our roots, and the values of how we founded Evergreen Organics here in Qatar.
Back then we wanted to enable people to have access to fresh, delicious, and nutritious food in a natural setting (with plenty of jungle vibes), and to build and grow our country’s conscious community. Now, it’s time to enable that access to vegan food to a new demographic of people: international travellers, both for transit, and for departures from Doha. While much of the world remains restricted in terms of travel, I’ve heard from plant-based followers from around the world who have picked up vegan food from the airport during their transit, either on their way home to see loved ones, or repositioning somewhere for the holidays. For years, one of my main concerns when travelling abroad was the lack of healthy vegan food, especially when travelling, and the very idea of being able to find vegan food in an airport would be something I’d daydream about while waiting for a flight.
With the opening of Evergreen Organics at a gateway airport at the centre of the world here in the Middle East, I am so pleased to be able to provide travellers from all backgrounds passing through Doha with a unique vegan experience with quality, fresh vegan food, and look forward to more of you enjoying it once the world resumes travelling in a larger capacity again.
As we move into a new year, millions of people will undertake the Veganuary Pledge – for the duration of the month of January, people who do not typically follow a plant-based diet will avoid all animal products (flesh, milk, eggs, etc). They will also ensure that any products they are buying (products, clothes, etc) do not contain animal products nor have they been tested on animals. It’s a huge step in the right direction, and a great way to start the new year — and my vegan businesses remain ready to assist anyone with their Veganuary pledge here in Doha, or around the world.
Young people, in particular this year, have woken up to the devastating harm that animal production does to the environment. More people than ever have also realised: we do not need to eat animals to survive. Indeed, we can live a healthy and a more compassionate life by not eating animals. A better life, with rewards for the body and the mind.
At the heart of our big vegan movement is a deep passion for progression, creativity, and innovation. This year we saw the vegan scene explode to newer, higher levels, and I’m continuously impressed with the developments within our sector.
Beyond Meat — with an objective is to build great, healthy ‘meat’ from plants — has taken off, and products are now sold both in supermarkets all over the world, including here in Qatar, and at various restaurants. They have partnered with mainstream chains like Dunkin’ Donuts, Del Taco, and TGI Friday’s, to promote their burgers at as many locations as possible and move people over to the plant-based way of living.
In addition, Qatar Airways – one of the world’s largest airlines by international network -introduced its first range of fully vegan dishes to its à la carte menu on all flights. The airline said that its decision to add the new menu was to respond to the huge increase in demand for vegan food among travellers. Real food, real ingredients, 100% plant based, and on an Arab airline here in the Middle East. I felt extremely proud for our region, which continues to move towards vegan, ethical, and sustainable eating.
Now, as we prepare to embark on a new chapter: 2021, more vegan goals are part of your new year’s resolutions than ever before, and it’s easier to live a plant-based life than it ever has been — and for this, I remain grateful to our vegan community for their spirit, passion, and positivity through what has been a difficult year for many.
Keep safe, enjoy plant-based goodness, and I look forward to writing to you in the New Year. Wishing you all the best for 2021.
* The author is an expert in vegan well-being and health. Instagram handle: @Ghanim92
Ghanim al-Sulaiti
