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 (1)
See all- Tiny Experiments: Discovering Your Path to Health & HappinessSanta Cruz Seventh-day Adventist Church, Santa Cruz, CA
Play to Succeed!
This sequel to Dr. Steven Leib's previous presentation about Tiny Habits is based on the concepts in the new book Tiny Experiments (2025) by Anne-Laure Le Cunff, PhD. Dr. Le Cunff is a neuroscientist and founder of Ness Labs, a platform dedicated to neuroscience-based learning and creativity. Her thesis challenges traditional goal-setting by advocating for a playful, experimental approach to personal growth and habit change. It encourages small, low-risk experiments that embrace curiosity, uncertainty and even failure in ways that promote adaptability, self-discovery and long term behavior change.In this inspiring presentation, Dr. Leib will engage participants in a discussion of these concepts as they might specifically relate to plant-based nutrition and healthier behaviors in general. RSVP here.
Let's Eat Together!
We will start our time together with a whole food, plant-based potluck. Please bring a dish to share that is made exclusively from whole plant ingredients and is free of added oil. Please avoid bringing dishes containing meat, dairy, fish, eggs, or other animal-derived ingredients.Here are some recipe sites for inspiration:
If you are new to this way of eating, feel free to bring something simple like a fresh fruit platter or green salad.
Join Eat for the Earth for a delicious, healthy meal and learn how you can craft a healthy, happy life!
About the Presenter
Dr. Steven Leib is board certified in Family and Lifestyle Medicine. A 1978 graduate of UCSF School of Medicine, Dr. Leib served a residency in family medicine at UCLA from 1978–1981. He supported hundreds of patients to transform their lives through lifestyle changes as a physician in private practice in Scotts Valley and the San Lorenzo Valley for forty years.Dr. Leib currently facilitates the Lifestyle Medicine Book Club that meets monthly at the Felton Library. He also leads a Walk with a Doc experiential Henry Cowell State Park program incorporating many of the pillars of lifestyle medicine in the healing environment of nature. To sign up for this free program, go to Mountain Parks and look under the “Redwood Rx” list of activities. Offered every third Saturday at 12:00pm through the month of October.
What to Bring
in addition to your plant-based dish to share, please bring your recipe or a list of ingredients. And please invite your friends!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.Donations are Appreciated.
All donations go to support the nonprofit Eat for the Earth.
