If you haven’t heard of the book The Reducetarian Solution or The Reducetarian Cookbook, there’s a good chance you’re wondering what exactly the term “reducetarian” means.
There’s a lot of terminology out there to keep up with, but here’s what you need to know: a reducetarian is someone who practices a lifestyle of eating less meat. You could be one without even knowing it, alongside vegetarians, pescatarians and vegans, who are known to limit their meat consumption, with many avoiding it entirely.
In order to spread further awareness of the lifestyle, which organizers say helps personal health and the global environment, The Crystal Gateway Marriot in Arlington is set to host the third annual Reducetarian Summit on Sept. 28 and 29. This is the first time the event will be held in the DMV after a 2017 kickoff event in New York City (the 2018 event was held in Los Angeles).
The summit’s two-day span will explore new strategies for living and working within the reducetarian lifestyle, with over a dozen workshops, more than 70 speakers and a keynote address by bestselling author Jonathan Safran Foer.
Foer, author of Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, which later became a 2011 blockbuster film, has authored the forthcoming book We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast, hitting stands on Sept. 20. The book is nonfiction and focuses on humans’ task of saving the planet, based on shifting the common behaviors of overconsumption and unhealthy factory farm practices.
The Reducetarian Summit is packed with healthy-planet initiatives and networking opportunities throughout the weekend, and, according to the event’s website, hopes to bring people together who are developing strategies to reduce consumption in their everyday lives, as well as those who are founding companies and creating technology that can help the movement grow.
Other notable speakers at the event include Amanda Hearst of Maison de Mode, a luxury ethical fashion brand, Annie Ryu of The Jackfruit Company, and local yoga guru Faith Hunter of Embrace Yoga DC. Workshop topics (with more to be posted) include “Conscious Capitalism: How to Invest in Breakout Food Technology,” and “Mindshare: How to Market Plant-Based Products and Ingredients.”
Also, attendees can browse the plant-based food expo, meet health-focused authors and journalists at the book fair and breakfast and lunch buffets, which will offer reducetarian-focused dishes consisting mostly of fruits and vegetables. // The Crystal Gateway Marriott: 1700 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington; Sept. 28-29, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Tickets begin at $20
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