The Foods We Love Are At Risk. Sam Kass Says We Can Save Them

>>> WELL, NOW THE U.S.

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IS IMPACTING PEOPLE WHO WORK IN SOME OF THE COUNTRY'S MOST CRITICAL INDUSTRIES LIKE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE.

FARMERS ARE THRUST INTO UNCERTAINTY NOW WHILE MILLIONS OF FAMILIES ARE AT RISK OF LOSING FOOD STAMPS.

THIS COMES ON TOP OF OTHER TUMULT IN THE SECTOR CAUSED BY ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR.

'S NEW HEALTH POLICIES.

THE ONGOING TARIFF WAR.

AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

CHEF SAM KASS WORKED IN THE OBAMA WHITE HOUSE AS A SENIOR POLICY ADVISER ON NUTRITION, AND HE SPOKE TO MICHEL MARTIN ABOUT ALL OF THIS AND HIS NEW BOOK "THE LAST SUPPER."

>> THANKS, BIANNA.

SAM KASS, THANKS SO MUCH FOR TALKING WITH US.

>> IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> JUST TO REMIND PEOPLE YOU WERE A LONG-TIME CHEF FOR THE OBAMA FAMILY, A SENIOR ADVISER FOR NUTRITION POLICY IN THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MICHELLE OBAMA'S LET'S MOVE CAMPAIGN, WHICH IS ALL ABOUT KIND OF HEALTHY EATING, FITNESS, ESPECIALLY AIMED AT KIDS.

YOU'VE GOT A NEW BOOK OUT, "THE LAST SUPPER: HOW TO OVERCOME THE COMING FOOD CRISIS."

AS BRIEFLY AS YOU CAN, WHAT'S THE COMING FOOD CRISIS?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, FOOD AND AGRICULTURE IS FRONT LINES OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

AND WE'RE SEEING ISSUES PLAY OUT AROUND THE WORLD AND CERTAINLY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT CLIMATE IS HAVING ON OUR FOOD SYSTEM AND OUR ABILITY TO FEED IT OURSELVES.

AND YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE COFFEE PRICES ARE UP THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF DROUGHT.

LAST YEAR CHOCOLATE PRICES WERE UP 200%.

WE'VE SEEN COLLAPSES OF PEACHES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS OR SNOW CRAB FISHERIES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.

THAT HAVE BEEN CLOSED BECAUSE OF A COMPLETE WIPEOUT OF THOSE CRAB POPULATIONS.

OUR VERY WAY OF LIFE IS UNDER THREAT.

I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WE TALK ABOUT IT LIKE 1.5 DEGREES OR, YOU KNOW, CLIMATE CHANGE.

NOBODY REALLY KNOWS WHAT THE IMPLICATION OF THAT IS.

BUT WHEN YOU START TO GET DOWN INTO THE ROLE OF FOOD AND THE IMPACT THIS IS HAVING ON FOOD, YOU START TO UNDERSTAND IT'S REALLY OUR WAY OF LIFE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIGHT FOR.

AND SO WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

>> IF YOU WERE TO STOP TEN PEOPLE ON THE STREET DO YOU THINK THEY WOULD KNOW THERE'S A PROBLEM, THAT THEY WOULD SAY IS SOMETHING NOT QUITE RIGHT?

OR NOT?

>> I THINK RIGHT NOW SADLY THE ANSWER IS NO.

I THINK WE'VE DONE A REALLY BAD JOB AT TRYING TO CONNECT THESE ISSUES AROUND CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE ENVIRONMENT TO PEOPLE'S LIVES.

AND HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHY THEY HAVE A REAL STAKE IN SOLVING THESE CHALLENGES.

AS A KID FROM CHICAGO 1.5 DEGREES WARMER SOUNDS GOOD.

IN FACT, I WOULD PROBABLY ADVOCATE FOR LET'S MAKE IT FIVE DEGREES WARMER.

I DON'T THINK WE HAVE CONNECTED THESE ISSUES TO THE REALITIES THAT WE -- PEOPLE ARE GOING TO START TO FEEL THEM.

AND WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO THERE.

IT'S ESPECIALLY TRUE WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THAT FOOD AND AGRICULTURE IS THE NUMBER TWO DRIVER OF ADMISSIONS GLOBALLY.

IT'S THE NUMBER ONE DRIVER OF BIODIVERSITY LOSS AND DeFORESTATION.

IT'S THE NUMBER ONE USE OF FRESH WATER ON THE PLANET.

WHAT WE'RE EATING IS ACTUALLY DRIVING A HUGE AMOUNT OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE FACE AND ALSO SORT OF ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE IMPACT.

SO YES, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO HARNESS THE POWER OF EATERS TO START POINTING OUR SYSTEM IN A BETTER DIRECTION.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS I'M CURIOUS ABOUT, THOUGH, IS PEOPLE WHO PRODUCE FOOD DIRECTLY.

YOU KNOW?

FARMERS, RANCHERS.

PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE AGRICULTURE SPACE.

PEOPLE WHO PRODUCE THE FOOD.

THEY'RE ON THE FRONT LINES.

SO WHAT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT IS THESE ARE ALSO SOME OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S STRONGEST CONSTITUENCIES.

HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?

>> THERE ARE SOME DEEP INHERENT CONTRADICTIONS TO THE INTERESTS OF PRODUCERS AROUND THIS COUNTRY.

ONE THAT, YOU KNOW, IS HARD TO FULLY RATIONALIZE IF I'M HONEST.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S A REAL LIBERTARIAN, INDEPENDENT, YOU KNOW, TRADITION IN RURAL AMERICA AND IN AGRICULTURE.

I THINK THE GOP HAS CAPTURED THAT AND POLITICIZED A LOT OF THESE ISSUES AS SORT OF LIBERAL ELITE ISSUES.

SO WHEN YOU TALK TO GROWERS AROUND CLIMATE CHANGE THEY THINK YOU'RE TALKING OUT OF THE SIDE OF YOUR HEAD AND THINK THAT YOU'RE KIND OF CRAZY.

BUT THEY'RE DEFINITELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CHANGING WEATHER.

AND A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH LANGUAGE.

AND RIGHT NOW GROWERS ARE BEING ABSOLUTELY BATTERED BY NOT ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE BUT ALSO TARIFF POLICY, THE HEALTH CARE POLICY AND LOSS OF RURAL HOSPITALS.

I THINK THE SUPPORT IS BEING PUT TO THE TEST IN A VERY REAL WAY.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO -- YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A BIG BAILOUT COMING FROM THE ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE THAT'S HOW SERIOUS FARMERS ARE HURTING.

PARTICULARLY LOSS OF FOREIGN MARKETS.

CHINA'S NOT BUYING ANY SOYBEANS.

IT WAS OUR BIGGEST EXPORT MARKET BY FAR.

THEY'RE NOW MOVING TO BRAZIL BECAUSE OF THE TARIFF POLICY OF THIS ADMINISTRATION.

SO YOU KNOW, I THINK -- AND WE CAN'T FORGET WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE IMMIGRATION FRONT.

I MEAN, I DON'T THINK MOST PRODUCERS IN THIS COUNTRY EXPECTED TO SEE I.C.E.

AGENTS RUNNING THROUGH THEIR FIELDS CHASING AFTER PEOPLE WHO WERE JUST DOING SOME OF THE HARDEST WORK THERE IS DAY IN AND DAY OUT.

AND FOR MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR SOME OF THESE FARMERS FOR 20 YEARS.

SO I THINK SOME OF THAT SUPPORT IS STARTING TO CRACK A BIT BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE MORE PAIN I THINK TO REALLY MOVE THAT VOTING BLOC IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

BUT RIGHT NOW THE POLICY OF THIS ADMINISTRATION FLY IN THE FACE OF WHAT'S BEST FOR AMERICAN AGRICULTURE.

>> TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES AROUND CLIMATE AND FOOD THAT KEEP YOU UP AT NIGHT FRANKLY?

>> YEAH.

WELL, RIGHT NOW THE COMPLETE PULLBACK OF ALL CLIMATE-RELATED POLICIES IN THE UNITED STATES SHOULD ALARM US ALL.

AND IT'S DOWN TO LIKE DETAILED STUFF LIKE WEATHER REPORTING.

BASIC REPORTING ON WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHAT'S CHANGING FOR GROWERS FROM A WEATHER PERSPECTIVE, LET ALONE POLICIES IN PLACE THAT HELP SET OUR SYSTEM FOR SUCCESS.

WE'VE HAD A SYSTEM THAT'S BEEN BUILT OVER THE LAST -- LIKE THE LAST 10,000 YEARS, EVEN THE LAST 1,000 YEARS HAVE BEEN THE MOST STABLE CLIMATE THAT SCIENTISTS CAN OBSERVE IN THE HISTORICAL RECORD.

WE'VE JUST GOTTEN REALLY LUCKY.

AND WE'VE HAD ABUNDANT NATURAL RESOURCES, NAMELY ABUNDANT SOIL AND AN ENDLESS SUPPLY OF FRESH WATER AND CHEAP ENERGY.

AND WE'RE NOW HAVING TO GROW FOOD IN AN INCREASINGLY VOLATILE CLIMATE WITH DWINDLING SOIL AND NOT ENOUGH WATER.

WE JUST DON'T HAVE A SYSTEM THAT'S SET UP TO DEAL WITH THAT VOLATILITY.

WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO START EMBEDDING MUCH MORE DIVERSITY INTO WHAT WE'RE GROWING AND HOW WE'RE GROWING IT TO DEAL WITH THOSE SHOCKS THAT WE'RE GOING TO ABSOLUTELY FACE INCREASINGLY YEAR OVER YEAR.

WE JUST HAVEN'T DONE THAT AT ALL.

SO NOT ONLY ARE WE GOING TO EXACERBATE THE PROBLEM DRAMATICALLY BY PULLING OUT OF THE PARIS ACCORDS, BY GUTTING EVERY CLIMATE-RELATED POLICY THAT THIS -- THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT HAS IN PLACE.

WE'RE JUST ALSO NOT INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF RESILIENCY IN OUR FOOD SYSTEM.

AND THAT SHOULD SCARE US ALL.

THIS IS REALLY FOUNDATIONAL TO OUR WAY OF LIFE, TO OUR ABILITY TO PASS DOWN TO THE NEXT GENERATION THE BASIC STANDARD OF LIVING THAT WE HAVE.

AND THAT'S UNDER THREAT.

I'LL ALSO JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M WORRIED ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT I LOVE TO EAT EVERY DAY BUT WHEN YOU START TO LOOK AT GLOBAL COMMODITIES LIKE RICE, THAT 3.5 BILLION PEOPLE DEPEND ON AND, YOU KNOW, CLIMATE CHANGE IS GOING TO START HAVING A REAL NEGATIVE IMMACULATE ON YIELDS THERE, OR WHEAT.

THESE CORE COMMODITIES THAT BASICALLY FEED THE WORLD.

THEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MAJOR FOOD INSECURITY EVENTS GLOBALLY, MAJOR POLITICAL INSTABILITY AS A RESULT, FORCED MIGRATIONS.

AND SO FROM A NATIONAL SECURITY STANDPOINT AND FROM A U.S.

POSITION AROUND THE WORLD THE PRESSURE'S GOING TO ONLY GROW DRAMATICALLY ON OUR ABILITY TO MAINTAIN OUR WAY OF LIFE.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE JUST HAVE TO TAKE SERIOUS.

IT SHOULDN'T BE A PARTISAN ISSUE.

THIS IS JUST OUR ABILITY TO MAINTAIN, YOU KNOW, THE AMERICA THAT WE KNOW AND LOVE.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON ACROSS THE BOARD.

?

.

>> SO THAT'S KIND OF A HIGH LEVEL GRASS TOPS KIND OF CONVERSATION.

COULD YOU BRING IT DOWN TO MAYBE THE GRASS ROOTS?

IS THERE A WAY THAT PEOPLE MIGHT BE SEEING THIS IN THEIR OWN LIVES EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT SURE THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE SEEING IN FOODS THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO EAT?

YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY HERE.

COULD YOU KIND OF MAKE IT MORE REAL -- >> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, FOOD PRICES ARE JUST STEADILY GOING TO -- ARE INCREASING AND WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE.

AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE THE FIRST THING THAT WE START TO SEE.

FOODS THAT WE'VE TAKEN FOR GRANTED, LIKE A CUP OF COFFEE IN THE MORNING, WHICH YOU KNOW, FOR ME I CAN'T SURVIVE WITHOUT A COUPLE CUPS IF NOT MORE EVERY DAY.

ARE GOING TO START TO INCREASE IN PRICE MEANINGFULLY.

AND SO MANY OF THE FOODS THAT WE LOVE ARE SIMPLY NOT GOING TO BE AVAILABLE TO MOST PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE LAST YEAR IN SPAIN WINE PRODUCERS HAD TO LAY OFF BASICALLY ALL OF THEIR WORKERS, THE BIG ONES, BECAUSE THEY HAD NO GRAPES TO HARVEST.

AND YOU'RE SEEING GROWERS IN CHAMPAGNE HAVING TO BUY LAND IN ENGLAND BECAUSE THEY DON'T THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PRODUCE CHAMPAGNE IN CHAMPAGNE.

THESE KIND OF DISRUPTIONS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND ALL OVER THE WORLD.

SO FOODS THAT WE'VE TAKEN FOR GRANTED.

LIKE SALMON ON THE WEST COAST.

THOSE FISHERIES ARE ALL CLOSED BECAUSE THERE'S JUST NO SALMON.

THERE HAVE BEEN HEAT WAVES HAPPENING IN OUR OCEANS THAT ARE DECIMATING THESE NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS.

IN FACT, JUST YESTERDAY I THINK, A COUPLE DAYS AGO A LANDMARK REPORT CAME OUT SAYING WE PASSED THE FIRST GLOBAL TIPPING POINT AROUND CORAL REEVES.

80% OF CORAL REEVES HAVE BEEN INFECTED BY BLEACHING.

BASICALLY THESE REEFS ARE DYING.

AND BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, TEMPERATURE WARMING.

THIS MAINTAINS LIFE, YOU KNOW, AND FOOD FOR OVER A BILLION PEOPLE ON THE PLANET.

>> YOU KNOW WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT YOUR BOOK, IS THAT YOU WRITE ABOUT YOUR INITIAL RELUCTANCE TO WORK WITH BIG COMPANIES LIKE WALMART AND McDONALD'S, BUT YOU SAY THAT YOU ULTIMATELY FOUND THESE COLLABORATIONS FRUITFUL, THAT THEY HAVE BUSINESS REASONS, THIS IS NOT A NICE TO DO, THIS IS A BUSINESS IMPERATIVE FOR SOME OF THESE COMPANIES.

SO IT MAKES ME WONDER WHETHER THERE'S A SIMILAR OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS SO-CALLED MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN, OR MAHA MOVEMENT THAT HAS BECOME VERY VISIBLE AND PRESENT IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY BROADLY.

I MEAN, THE HEALTH SECRETARY, ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR., OBVIOUSLY BEING SORT OF THE CHIEF SPOKESMAN AND SORT OF AVATAR OF THAT MOVEMENT.

I MEAN, JUST IT HAS TO BE SAID FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE PERHAPS NOT FOLLOWED THIS AS CLOSELY, IS THAT MANY PEOPLE SORT OF IN TRADITIONAL SCIENCE AND PUBLIC HEALTH ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR.

AND THIS MOVEMENT MORE BROADLY.

THEY FIND IT ANTI-INTELLECTUAL, COMPLETELY DIVORCED FROM REALITY, DIVORCED FROM SCIENTIFIC FACT, RIFE WITH MISINFORMATION.

BUT HAVING SAID THAT, GIVEN YOUR EXPERIENCE, DO YOU SEE ANY SYNERGY THERE?

DO YOU SEE ANY OPPORTUNITY -- I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE YOU'D SORT OF PUT IT, ANY OVERLAPPING INTERESTS THAT MIGHT BE FRUITFUL AND PRODUCTIVE?

>> YEAH.

I WILL SAY THAT I HELD OUT SOME HOPE IN THE BEGINNING.

I THINK HIS NARRATIVE AND CRITIQUE OF WHAT'S WRONG HOLDS A LOT OF TRUTH.

IT'S A CRITIQUE THAT WE'RE LAYING OUT WHEN WE WERE IN THE WHITE HOUSE AND ONE THAT HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, UTTERED MANY TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW DECADES.

AND I THINK THAT GAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING A LOT OF FRIENDS OF MINE WHO CARE ABOUT THESE ISSUES SUPPORTING A PRESIDENT THEY OTHERWISE WOULDN'T BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION COULD DO A LOT ON THE ISSUE.

AND IT WAS SHOCKING BUT ENCOURAGING TO ME TO SEE MEMBERS OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY START SAYING THAT THE HEALTH IS AN ISSUE AND WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, GIVEN THAT THEY FOUGHT US TOOTH AND NAIL ON LITERALLY EVERYTHING WE TRIED TO DO WHEN WE WERE IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

SO THAT GAVE ME SOME HOPE.

I WILL SAY, UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE VOICES THAT YOU'VE REFERENCED I'VE COME TO ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH.

I THINK RFK IS THE GREATEST THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH THIS COUNTRY'S EVER FACED.

HIS ABSOLUTE LACK OF INTEGRITY, OF USING OF SCIENCE, AND OF FOCUSING ON THE ISSUES THAT MATTER.

I MEAN, ON THE FOOD SIDE, FOOD DYES, WHICH HAS BEEN THE MAIN THING THEY FOCUSED ON, LITERALLY IS IRRELEVANT.

I'M NOT A CHAMPION OF FOOD DYES.

I'M HAPPY TO GET THEM OUT OF OUR FOOD.

BUT FROOT LOOPS WITH OR WITHOUT DYES ARE STILL NOT SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE FEEDING OUR KIDS.

AND IT JUST LITERALLY HAS NO OUTCOMES IN HEALTH.

THE OTHER MAIN THING, SEED OILS IS JUST A JOKE.

IT LITERALLY FLIES IN THE FACE OF EVERY MAJOR SCIENTIFIC REVIEW OF THE ISSUE.

AND HE'S PROMOTING FAST FOOD CHEESEBURGERS AND FRENCH FRIES FRIED IN BEEF TAL LOWE WHICH IS PURE INSANITY.

AND THAT'S SORT OF THE FACADE.

AND REALLY WHAT'S GOING ON IS AN ATTEMPT TO UNDERMINE OUR VACCINE POLICY AND SAYING INSANE STATEMENTS LIKE, YOU KNOW, CIRCUMCISION AND TYLENOL USE IS LEADING TO AUTISM.

I MEAN, THIS IS JUST STRAIGHT LUNACY.

AND I THINK WE SHOULD ALL BE DEEPLY ALARMED.

>> SO WHEEL IT AROUND.

WHAT ARE YOU ENCOURAGED BY?

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE ENCOURAGED BY WHEN IT COMES TO HEALTH, FOOD AND CLIMATE?

>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN, I THINK THE EXCITING THING THAT GETS ME OUT OF BED EVERY DAY WITH SOME OPTIMISM, EVEN IN WHAT I WOULD SAY IS A DIFFICULT TIME IN THIS SPACE, IS I THINK FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS ARE REALLY THE SYSTEM ON PLANET EARTH THAT CAN ACTUALLY SOLVE OR MITIGATE THE WORST OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE TIME THAT THE SCIENCE SAYS WE HAVE.

YOU KNOW, MOST -- A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF THE CARBON THAT IS NOW IN OUR ATMOSPHERE USED TO BE IN OUR SOILS.

AND WE HAVE THROUGH THE RIGHT PRACTICES AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES THE ABILITY TO BRING A LOT OF THAT CARBON BACK INTO OUR SOILS, WHICH IMPROVES SOIL HEALTH, IMPROVES OUR YIELDS, AND WE CAN START PAYING GROWERS TO FARM IN A BETTER WAY.

AND SOLVE THIS INCREDIBLY EXISTENTIAL PROBLEM WE HAVE.

>> YOU MEAN USING FARMS FOR CARBON CAPTURE.

>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

AND I'M WORKING WITH A NUMBER OF COMPANIES AND DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES THAT CAN DO JUST THAT.

AND AT MASSIVE SCALE THAT COULD REALLY MOVE THE NEEDLE.

WE GET CAUGHT UP IN A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, SEXY-SOUNDING TECHNOLOGIES LIKE DIRECT AIR CAPTURE THAT SUCKS CARBON OUT OF THE AIR.

BUT NONE OF THAT IS SCALABLE IN TIME.

IT'S WAY TOO EXPENSIVE.

YOU JUST CAN'T HAVE A BIG ENOUGH IMPACT.

THERE'S A BILLION PEOPLE GROWING FOOD AROUND THE WORLD.

IF YOU START TO INCENTIVIZE THEM AND HARNESS THEM TO FARM IN A WAY THAT'S ACTUALLY PULLING THAT CARBON BACK INTO THE SOIL, WE CAN TOTALLY BEND THE GLOBAL EMISSIONS CURVE, GROW FOOD IN A MORE SUSTAINABLE WAY, MAKE FARMING MUCH MORE PROFITABLE FOR PRODUCERS WHO ARE JUST ALWAYS ON THE EDGE, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW.

AND THAT'S ALL POSSIBLE.

WE HAVE THE TOOLS.

THEY'RE MAKING SO MUCH PROGRESS.

WE JUST NEED MORE CULTURAL SUPPORT FOR IT, MEANING LIKE EATERS HAVE TO START SUPPORTING IT.

WE NEED POLITICIANS TO BELIEVE IN SCIENCE AND START ENACTING POLICIES THAT HELP PUSH THESE PRACTICES IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, YOU KNOW, IN AGRICULTURE.

BUT WE HAVE A HUGE OPPORTUNITY BEFORE US TO ACTUALLY USE THIS SYSTEM THAT IS RIGHT NOW DRIVING THE PROBLEM, TO ACTUALLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT MORE FIRMLY.

THE KIND OF DOOMSDAY SCENARIOS THAT YOU HEAR PEOPLE SAYING ARE TOTALLY AVOIDABLE IF WE TAKE DECISIVE ACTION NOW.

>> SO WHAT DECISIVE ACTION SHOULD PEOPLE TAKE?

I MEAN, SORT OF TWO ASPECTS TO THIS QUESTION.

FIRST OF ALL, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU DO WITH THE BOOK IS MAKE IT PERSONAL.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU LIKE THIS, IF YOU LIKE COFFEE, AS YOU DO, IF YOU LIKE CHOCOLATE AS I DO, AS I THINK ALL DECENT PEOPLE DO, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

>> ON THE PERSONAL FRONT -- AND I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, NO INDIVIDUALS CAN FIX THIS, RIGHT?

JUST BY OUR OWN DECISIONS.

BUT WE DO HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY.

I THINK THERE'S A FEW SIMPLE THINGS TO DO.

ONE -- I'D SAY THREE THINGS IF YOU HAD TO BOIL IT DOWN MOST SIMPLY.

I THINK FROM LIKE YOUR OWN FOOTPRINT STANDPOINT RED MEAT CONSUMPTION IS THE BIGGEST DRIVER OF EMISSIONS IN OUR FOOD SYSTEM BY A LOT.

IT'S SORT OF THE BIGGEST THING.

AND I SAY THIS AS A MEET EATER.

YOU KNOW, I'M A FORMER CHEF.

I LOVE MEAT.

I STILL EAT IT.

BUT I'VE REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY THE AMOUNT.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US CAN DO.

EVEN JUST CUTTING OUT LIKE ONCE A WEEK WHAT YOU NORMALLY DO WOULD BE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT IF EVERYBODY DID THAT.

TWO, I THINK BRANDS THAT ARE STARTING TO PROMOTE MORE REGENERATIVE OR SUSTAINABLE FOOD PRODUCTS, WE SHOULD SUPPORT THEM.

I KNOW THERE'S PLENTY OF GREENWASHING OUT THERE.

BUT IF THE BIG COMPANIES SEE THAT WHEN THEY MARKET PRODUCTS IN THAT WAY THAT PEOPLE WILL BUY THEM, THAT IS A VERY STRONG SIGNAL THAT WE CARE ABOUT THAT.

THEN IT WILL BE UP TO THE ADVOCATES TO HOLD THESE COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY SAY THEY'RE DOING.

BUT FROM A PURCHASE STANDPOINT THAT IS A REALLY POWERFUL SIGNAL THAT RIGHT NOW FRANKLY WE'RE NOT SENDING AS A COUNTRY ON WHOLE.

AND THIRD, VOTE.

THERE'S LITERALLY NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN US VOTING FOR PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN SCIENCE, WHO BELIEVE IN CLIMATE CHANGE, WHO CARE ABOUT OUR KIDS' FUTURE AND WHAT WE HAND DOWN TO THEM.

I DON'T CARE IF IT'S A REPUBLICAN WHO CARES ABOUT THESE THINGS, GREAT, I'M ALL FOR IT.

IN FACT, FRANKLY WE NEED MORE THAN ANYTHING REPUBLICANS WHO STAND UP FOR BASIC SCIENCE AND BELIEVE IN CLIMATE CHANGE.

WHICH BY THE WAY THE PARTY DID, REAGAN AND BUSH ALL TOTALLY ACCEPTED THIS SCIENCE.

IT'S BEEN A VERY STRANGE PRETTY RECENT CHANGE.

WE NEED TO RESTORE THAT.

AND SO WHOEVER YOUR PARTY IS, VOTING FOR PEOPLE WHO PRIORITIZE THIS IS CRITICAL.

>> SAM KASS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING TO US.

>> SUCH A PLEASURE.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.