Kris Cameron and Dawn Byford #17
Introduction:
00:10 Intro Admiral & Felix
Interesting news:
01:03 Kris has been reading a new book by Will Potter about factory farming and how there are more and more laws against reporting on how the food is being made. More on the book here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216425370-little-red-barns
02:05 Dawn Byford has been reading on about global warming in arab peninsula
03:24 Admiral on bird species in decline
07:55 Felix: new animal has been spotted in Congo forest.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czx0kn124w0o
09:10 Introduction of our guests Kris and Dawn from TASKFORCE Rich plant diet
Dawn Byford is Co-Chair of the Task Force and a member of the Rotary Club of Canmore in Alberta, Canada.
After a life-altering auto accident, Dawn found healing through whole food plant-based eating, and now teaches others how to nourish their bodies and protect the planet.
She’s an honor graduate in Holistic Nutrition from the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition and a trained educator with the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies.
She regularly leads cooking demos, writes articles, and collaborates with communities across the Bow Valley region to make sustainable living deliciously accessible.
Kris Cameron, Co-Chair and member of the Wenatchee Confluence Rotary Club in Washington, USA, brings decades of experience in public education, human resources, and community organizing to her role.
A passionate advocate for animal welfare and environmental health, Kris works to end factory farming and promote the benefits of plant-rich diets across the Rotary world.
She holds degrees in business and education, as well as a plant-based nutrition certificate from the Center for Nutrition Studies.
Kris has held multiple leadership roles in Rotary and helped launch impactful ESRAG-aligned projects at both club and district levels.
10:50 Why has the Plant-Rich Diet become a focus for ESRAG, what makes what’s on our plate such a powerful climate lever?
17:02 With food systems now estimated to contribute up to 60% of global emissions, how should we rethink our assumptions about agriculture, land use, and sustainability?
22:03 What role does seafood and aquaculture play in the plant-rich conversation, and are there ethical or environmental red flags we’re not talking about enough?
31:55 At RICON Calgary, ESRAG has launched the Pledge to Veg, how do you envision this pledge growing within the global Rotary network, and what impact could it have? - link to pledge to veg:
https://esrag.org/blog/2025/06/09/lower-your-carbon-footprint-for-ricon/
36:32 For those who want to experience change personally, the 15-Day Plant-Rich Diet Challenge offers a chance to experiment and reflect, what have been the most surprising or inspiring outcomes from past participants?
42:03 Looking ahead, what gives you hope? What would the world look like if Rotary embraced plant-rich living at scale, from kitchens to conventions?
Good news & Positive ending
48:32 Felix: A new golden toad
https://www.natureandculture.org/directory/new-frogs-call-echoes-need-for-protection-in-the-amazon/
49:45 Kris: Removal of dams helps nature make a return:
https://www.rotary.org/en/healing-water-the-klamath-river-restoration
50:41 Dawn: High seas treaty ratified
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/19/climate/high-seas-treaty-ocean-biodiversity-ratified.html
51:10 Admiral: Green turtles making a comeback!
More information:
https://www.greenerbydefault.com/
Join the pledge to VEG!
https://esrag.org/blog/2025/06/09/lower-your-carbon-footprint-for-ricon/
