A registered charity since 1992, our mission is to change the world by promoting the widespread adoption of plant-based diets. We use evidence-based education to increase awareness of the ways in which choosing a plant-based diet will lead to a healthier, kinder, and more sustainable world.
Vision
We envision a world where open hearts and well-informed minds inspire a global shift to plant-based diets; where we care about the health and vitality of humanity, the wellbeing of animals, and our environment. In choosing a plant-based diet, we have the power to shape a healthier, kinder, and more sustainable world.
History
In the spring of 1989, John Robbins – author of Diet for a New America – spoke to a packed room at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Vancouver. Many in attendance responded powerfully to the message that our food choices have massive, global environmental consequences and contribute to a cruel animal farming system.
Following Mr. Robbins’ visit, a passionate group of activists decided to create an organization dedicated to educating the public about the importance of our food choices. Originally named Canada Earthsave Society, and later renamed Earthsave Canada, the organization became a registered charity in 1992.
Public education from an evidence-based perspective has been foundational to our mission from the beginning. Through our commitment to scientific rigour, we have gained credibility in the eyes of the public. Our activities have been focused on hosting expert speakers, organizing community events, attending festivals, and giving talks in high schools. More recently, our website, blog, and social media presence have become important aspects of our educational work.
Earthsave Canada is guided by a volunteer board of directors. We continue to grow our organization with the aim of turning us all towards more ethical, sustainable, and healthful plant-based diets.
Volunteer board of directors
President
David Steele
David is a molecular biologist retired in 2013 from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. He has also held faculty positions at Cornell and Queen’s Universities.
Dr. Steele is a frequent public speaker and a regular contributor to Earthsave Canada’s publications. He is also an occasional contributor to various other publications.
Director
Karry Eilers
Karry is a retired IT Project Manager with a B.A. in Computer Science from SFU. A vegetarian since 1990, Karry’s commitment to animal welfare and the future of the planet resulted in her becoming vegan in 2018. Karry is an avid hiker, especially with her dog, and a vegan foodie.
Director
Anita Bora
Anita is a lifelong adventurer who enjoys the outdoors, nature and a challenging hike. She moved from sunny California to rainy Vancouver in July 2022. She turned plant-based in 2019 and vegan soon after learning about the horrors of animal agriculture. She credits this switch for alleviating health concerns. The book that added to her resolve is Melanie Joy’s, ‘Why we pet dogs, eat pigs and wear cows‘ – she highly recommends it to learn more about carnism and cognitive dissonance. Her day job is in content and communications but she’s usually found in the ceramics studio, playing pickleball or dreaming of her next trip. She’s working on launching plant-forward tours to India; having experienced some wonderful culinary and cultural experiences on her recent trips. You can find her plant-based adventures frequently on IG (@anitabora) and (@thekindertravelco).
Director
Fernanda Lima
Fernanda is originally from Brazil and became a Canadian citizen in 2025. Since little, she always felt a strong connection with nature and all living creatures, which led her to a plant-based lifestyle in 2015. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Oceanography, and currently works in the environmental non-profit sector.
Fernanda joined EarthSave in 2024 and is deeply passionate about sharing her compassion for animals, as well as her commitment with justice, equity and diversity values.
Director of IT
Abhishek Kumar
Abhi has been a leader in the IT and analytics space for over 19 years. With an engineering degree and a Master’s in Data Science from the University of British Columbia, he has built a career driving innovation, solving complex problems, and helping organizations make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Alongside his professional work, Abhi is deeply passionate about a plant-based lifestyle. He believes that choosing plant-based foods is one of the most meaningful ways individuals can reduce their environmental footprint, protect animals, and support long-term health. For Abhi, this is not just a personal choice — it is an advocacy.
Leveraging both his technical background and his commitment to sustainability, Abhi enjoys educating others on how everyday decisions can create positive change. He brings people together through facts, empathy, and a vision for a healthier, more compassionate world.
Photo credits
- Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash
- Photo by Evie S. on Unsplash
- Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash
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