PlantPure Nation Documentary Looks to ‘Change This World from the Bottom Up’

In plant-based circles, the name T. Colin Campbell is one of legend. Author of The China Study and lead player in the groundbreaking Forks Over Knives documentary, Dr. Campbell has long been extolling the massive health benefits that come with eating plants.

PlantPure Nation power!

Despite the wealth of evidence and growing popularity of this lifestyle, there’s still a shocking lack of awareness amongst many American consumers.

As Dr. Campbell himself says, the question he’s constantly asked when he travels and speaks is, “Why hadn’t I heard about this before?”

The lack of knowledge is, in large part, due to the political machine that stands opposed to the plant-based movement. Meat, dairy and industrialized food have power. Lots of power.

This power was demonstrated when Dr. Campbell and Rep. Tom Riner tried to work together to pass a bill for a pilot program documenting the health benefits of a plant-based diet. Unsurprisingly, a massive lobbying effort killed the effort, reducing the bill to “a shadow of its former self”, as Rep. Riner said.

So, T. Colin’s son, Nelson Campbell, decided to start from scratch, grassroots-style, and the PlantPure Nation film was born.

T. Colin and Nelson Campbell.

In his hometown of Mebane, North Carolina, Nelson launched a pilot program, offering 10 days worth of plant-based meals to 16 local influencers. The resulting documentary, PlantPure Nation, follows this group of rural inductees on their journey, measuring the effects of an herbivorous diet and addressing the crucial issues of small family farms, food deserts, modern medicine and the many political challenges facing this way of life.

PlantPure Nation is designed to be the backbone of a new movement—a total overhaul of our nation’s food system. The thesis, as Nelson Campbell says in the film’s trailer, is to “change this world from the bottom up.”

To get the word out, the Campbells and team are working to raise money via Kickstarter to screen the film in as many locations as possible, as well as to create an experiential program to help people embrace a plant-based lifestyle. There’s even a PlantPure Nation cookbook (included in many of the Kickstarter backer levels)! Currently, they’ve raised $63,180 of their $150,000 goal (which they hope to exceed) from 420 backers, with 37 days to go.

“We are hoping that the film helps explain to the public how the empowering message of plant-based nutrition has been suppressed for so many years,” Nelson Campbell, president of PlantPure Nation, told Latest Vegan News.

“Our goal is to raise awareness of the political and economic forces responsible for this, and also of the larger connections of nutrition to the practice of medicine, our system of agriculture, the problem of food deserts, and our environment.”

Plant-based food, saving lives and changing the world.

The time is now for social change, Campbell adds, and an organized movement needs to emerge around the notion of plant-based nutrition.

“People are fed up with the status quo and anxious to play a role in making the world a better place. Many people feel that the world is spinning out of control, and all they can do is watch it happen on their TV sets. But the reality is different. When people join together in common cause, they can make a difference,” he explains.

The film is being screened at various locations around the country (check the website to see if your hometown is on the list).

“Not only are we hoping our film can play a role in inspiring a grassroots movement to emerge, but we also will implement a strategy on the heels of the film release to create a financial engine to power this movement,” Campbell adds.

“We are using a social responsible B corporation structure, connected to a non-profit foundation, to foster and support local groups in towns and cities across the country who will promote the message of plant-based nutrition within their local communities.” All the deets are available on PlantPureNation.com.

The meat and dairy lobbies have all the power and money in the world on their side—isn’t it about time broccoli and chickpeas got a boost, too?

You can pledge to support PlantPure Nation on its Kickstarter campaign page.

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