Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lorena Mucke. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Lorena, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
Like most children, I was in awe of nature, especially animals. I was drawn to them from an early age, and as I grew up, I was confused about the labels society places on them: food, entertainment, pests, clothing, experimentation subjects, etc. The more I learned and interacted with them, the more those labels blurred.
Once in college, I chose zoology as my major and came to the realization that humans, other creatures, and the environment are intrinsically connected and that we depend on one another to keep the delicate balance that allows us to continue enjoying this beautiful planet we call home.
I visited slaughterhouses, learned where our food comes from and the impact of our modern food system on human and planetary health. I learned about how the Western Diet is a significant contributor to the top chronic diseases (cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, Type 2 Diabetes, obesity, etc.) and how modern animal agriculture significantly impacts greenhouse emissions, land use, resource depletion, air and water pollution, loss of biodiversity and much more. I was astonished that this information was not widely available.
Later, I decided to get my graduate degree in Ecology and Sustainable Development. I was fascinated by the challenge of continuing to develop and improve civilization in a sustainable way, which, sadly, is not happening to the extent it should. During that time, I had the opportunity to work in the Amazon rainforest in South America. I got to see the devastation that deforestation causes, its driving force, and the urgency to find solutions to stop it.
Also, both my parents developed cardiovascular disease and had heart attacks. Fortunately, with modern medicine and lifestyle changes, they are thriving. However, the connection between food, health, and the environment became more evident and, in turn, my life passion. I was committed to learning and sharing this knowledge with as many people as possible to encourage them to make better food choices for themselves, the planet, and everyone living in it.
Years later, in 2016, I founded the Educated Choices Program, a nonprofit organization that provides free food-related education, empowering students and community members to recognize the importance and responsibility of making informed decisions about their food building a healthier, more sustainable future for everyone.
Our program was very well-received globally. People are hungry for information that improves their lives and makes the world a better place for all.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you give our readers an overview of the organization you lead and why it stands out?
The Educated Choices Program is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides food-related education, empowering students and community members to recognize the importance and responsibility of making informed decisions about their food building a healthier, more sustainable future for everyone.
We focus on education because the purpose of education is to impart knowledge and teach the skills necessary to make informed and responsible decisions. Education also promotes the critical thinking needed to discern what is true and false -ostensibly a lost art in our society- and teaches problem-solving and creativity. More importantly, it inspires people to work together to build a better world for all.
Our tagline, “Educating For A Better World,” promotes confronting society’s problems and challenges with science-based knowledge, ingenuity, and compassion. The benefits of education are uncontested and transmitted intergenerationally – solidifying their long-term positive effects. And because many of the most urgent problems we currently face could be significantly addressed by making better food choices, it makes sense to take a deeper look at our food system and its flaws in order to create a better one.
We are the first and only academic program in the area of food literacy in the world that has expanded to every state in the US and 51 other countries to date. We stand out and are unique in many ways:
– We believe education is a right, so we never charge for our services.
– Our education packages meet academic standards globally and can be accessed 24/7 in our on-demand digital library. Our videos are offered in different languages and close captioning.
– We follow the science. Our education packages are curated with the latest scientific information and updated regularly to reflect any scientific changes.
– We approach food literacy from different perspectives in order to meet our viewer’s interests, from climate change and heart health to the newest food technologies.
– Our education packages offer information and tools so viewers can start making food choices that align with their values, beliefs, and circumstances.
– Our education packages consider cultural and social diversity across the globe.
– We quantify our impact, efficacy, and effectiveness. For example, approximately 50% of our viewers change their diet after watching our presentation, and we have prevented an estimated 2,653,099 tonnes of CO2 emissions from being released into the environment.
– We partner with renowned and respected organizations around the world.
We at the Educated Choices Program are committed to educating for a better world.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Honesty and transparency are of the utmost importance to us. Our educational programs are offered at no cost and consist of factual information provided by reputable scientific sources. The material we present is updated regularly to ensure the most up-to-date information. As an organization, we follow the science as opposed to the profit from any corporation or interests of any specific group. We practice this same level of transparency and stewardship when handling funds and providing reports and updates to donors and the public.
Our commitment to excellence is displayed by every member of our team and shows in the work that we do, the feedback we receive, and the doors that have been opened to us. We are driven to consistently provide the highest quality educational programs and grow responsibly and sustainably to reach the maximum number of students and community members worldwide.
Also, we pay attention to feedback and the needs of our audience. We strive to show those we serve that they matter to us.
Have you ever had to pivot?
Pivoting in challenging situations requires a combination of resilience, adaptability, and strategic decision-making.
When the pandemic hit, we had staff presenting our material in person at schools throughout the US, Canada, and Australia. Then schools closed, and we realized that closings were not going to be temporary but rather lasting, so we had to come up with another way to reach students. We quickly pivoted and began building a digital program from scratch that would serve us temporarily until the pandemic was over and schools opened again.
We had to make significant changes to our organizational structure, processes, operations, and financial structure to fit our new model. Essentially, it was like building a new program but with the same mission, vision, and values.
The digital program proved so successful that we decided to continue it after schools opened again. It allows us to reach many more students in many more countries at a lower per-student cost without sacrificing our impact. Of course, our digital program has improved significantly since the pandemic days and is here to stay.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ecprogram.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/educatedchoices/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/educatedchoicesprogram
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/educated-choices-program
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/educatedchoices
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/EducatedChoicesProgram
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/EducatedChoicesProgram/