What we’re about
Do you ache to make a difference with what’s happening with our planet? Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and engage in effective activism in collaboration with a dynamic, committed community? Or, are you concerned about your own health and the health of those around you, and desire to make some changes!
You are probably aware that our dietary choices impact the environment by contributing to the climate crisis, species loss, deforestation, and many other challenges. Simultaneously, diet-caused chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease lead to disability and early death for far too many of our family members and friends. We can each take action to address these crises by transitioning to healthy, sustainable plant-based diets. Eat for the Earth aids that shift through education, tools, support, partnerships, and love.
Eat for the Earth Santa Cruz welcomes your participation!
Eat for the Earth is working to make it easier for people to eat more plants and less animal products, or to adopt and maintain an entirely plant-based lifestyle for those who are interested.
You might call yourself an environmentalist. Or a vegan, vegetarian, or flexitarian. Or a lover of the earth or concerned citizen. Or an omnivore who aligns with our mission.
Whatever you call yourself, we are glad you found this group!
Whatever you call yourself, you are welcome to join this community. If you feel the call, then your unique skills and sensibilities are needed for this movement!
Our vision includes transforming Santa Cruz County into a model of sustainable eating. We offer education about the environmental and health benefits of plant-based and plant-strong diets, provide practical tools and nurture community with our nutrition education and food preparation classes, provide support with our dietary immersion program, and engage in advocacy to change systems. We hope you will join us!
To find out more information, visit the Eat for the Earth website.
Upcoming events (2)
See all- Gardening in Your Kitchen: The Magic of SproutsSanta Cruz Seventh-day Adventist Church, Santa Cruz, CA
Always Wanted to Grow Sprouts?
Learn how to grow tasty, healthy, immune-boosting sprouts in this class.Sprouts may be tiny plants, but they are HUGE on nutrition! With minimal investment in time and equipment, you can grow an abundance of delicious, healthy, diverse sprouts in even the smallest of kitchens.
In This Class, You Will:
- Learn about the wide variety of seeds that can be simply sprouted at home to produce tasty, healthy food,
- Find out about essential equipment for sprout-growing, including alternative equipment you might have on hand,
- Be exposed to all of the steps for producing your own home-grown sprouts,
- See and sample examples of multiple types of sprouts,
- Hear about a variety of ways to include nutritious sprouts in your dishes, and
- Have a chance to get your questions answered.
Sprout Tasting Party!
This demonstration and presentation will include a delicious sprout tasting party in which you will get to put together a plate of delectable healthy treats from our buffet of sprouts and accompaniments.Don't miss this opportunity to learn, connect, and be nourished on all levels!
Donations are Appreciated.
All donations go to support the nonprofit Eat for the Earth.About the Presenter
Rev. Chef Beth Love has been creating luscious, vibrant foods that deeply nourish on all levels—palate, body, planet, heart, and soul—for over four decades. She is a gifted teacher and speaker, ordained New Thought minister, personal coach, and author of the Tastes Like Love book series. Beth has brought a message of transformation to multiple audiences with her speaking and facilitation skills, in contexts as diverse as the California state prison system, schools, churches, businesses, radio, local community television, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. She is known for her fierce commitment, wise counsel, strategic mind, and huge capacity for love.Rev. Beth’s life calling has taken many twists and turns, but has always been centered on human transformation. She has taught in and run Montessori schools, helped to found a New Thought church and served in various capacities in that community for over 20 years, run non- profit organizations focused on the topic of child abuse, and done extensive volunteer work with prison inmates. Due to her concern about the contribution of animal agriculture to environmental breakdown, Beth started Eat for the Earth, an organization that supports a human dietary shift towards more plants and less animal products to sustain all life on Earth. Learn more and find out how you can get involved at Eat for the Earth.
To Find Us
Drive towards the back of the parking lot. About halfway down you will see a smaller parking lot towards the left. We are in Sundean Hall, between the side parking lot and the street. - The Power Foods Diet with Dr. Neal BarnardColligan Theater at the Tannery Arts Center, Santa Cruz, CA
Join us for an inspiring event with Dr. Neal Barnard, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and bestselling author, as he shares the groundbreaking science behind health, weight loss, and the healing power of food.
Based on his new book, The Power Foods Diet, Dr. Barnard will reveal how simple, science-backed food choices can transform your health—and your life. Dr. Barnard will be signing books after the event.
Event Schedule:
- 4:30pm: Doors Open & Appetizers
- 5-6:30pm: Presentation
Appetizer menu coming soon!
About Dr. Neal Barnard
Neal Barnard, MD, FACC, is an Adjunct Professor of Medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, DC, and President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.Dr. Barnard has led numerous research studies investigating the effects of diet on diabetes, body weight, hormonal symptoms, and chronic pain, including a groundbreaking study of dietary interventions in type 2 diabetes, funded by the National Institutes of Health, that paved the way for viewing type 2 diabetes as a potentially reversible condition for many patients. Dr. Barnard has authored more than 100 scientific publications and 20 books for medical and lay readers, and is the editor in chief of the Nutrition Guide for Clinicians, a textbook made available to all U.S. medical students.
About María José Hummel, PhD
María José Hummel, PhD, is a nutritionist, health educator, author, international speaker, and former engineer. She holds multiple degrees, which include a Bachelor’s in Engineering from Cal Poly, a Master’s of Science in Nutrition from the University of Bridgeport, Connecticut, a Master’s in Public Health from San Jose State, a certification in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies at Cornell University, and she holds a doctorate in naturopathy as well as a Doctorate in Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Natural Medicine from the International Institute of Original Medicine.As a health educator and plant-based nutritionist, certified by the American Association of Lifestyle Medicine, Maria Jose enjoys sharing not only her knowledge, but her passion, for nutrition, health, and plant-based cooking. She has appeared on cooking shows on radio and television networks such as 3ABN, 3ABN Latino, and other radio and television networks. She has taught nutrition courses at the Adventist University of Chile and the Peruvian Union University. She is frequently invited to give seminars and health education courses at churches, community groups and clinics where she teaches people how to avoid, and to reverse, lifestyle diseases, such as diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity.
About Chef Beth Love
Rev. Chef Beth Love is the founder of Eat for the Earth, an ordained New Thought minister, and the author of the Tastes Like Love book series. She has brought a message of transformation to multiple audiences with her speaking and facilitation skills, in contexts as diverse as the California state prison system, schools, nonprofits, churches, radio, various online forums, local community television, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. She is known for her fierce commitment, wise counsel, strategic mind, and huge capacity for love.Rev. Beth’s life calling has taken many twists and turns, but has always been centered on human transformation. She has taught in and run Montessori schools, helped to found a New Thought church and served in various capacities in that community for over 20 years, facilitated trainings on issues of power and privilege, run nonprofit organizations focused on the topic of child abuse, and done extensive volunteer work with prison inmates. Due to her concern about the contribution of animal agriculture to the climate crisis and other environmental crises, Beth started Eat for the Earth, an organization that supports a human dietary shift towards more plants and less animal products to sustain all life on Earth.
