Bon Appetit Management Company's national environmental initiative shows consumers and chefs how to reduce food's impact on the planet
PALO ALTO, Calif., April 22 /PRNewswire/ -- In the fight against global warming, scientists and chefs have set their sights on a new battle -- the carbon footprint of food. On Earth Day, April 22, food service maverick Bon Appetit Management Company will launch the Low Carbon Diet, a nationwide commitment to lower the carbon footprint of the food they serve in their cafes and restaurants by 25%. They will also provide tools to help consumers reduce their 'foodprint' at home.
Americans' food consumption accounts for up to 4 tons of carbon emissions per person each year, according to government research on food consumption and analysis conducted by Bon Appetit. Overall, food-and all the energy it takes to grow, process, transport and prepare it-is responsible for 1/3 of all global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the Pew Center. (1)
Next Tuesday, hundreds of thousands of diners across the country will taste Low Carbon meals designed to have the greatest impact on climate change. Low Carbon menus will feature: reduced amounts of beef and cheese purchased and served; all meats and vegetables sourced exclusively from North America, a preference for local and seasonal foods; and decreased purchases of tropical fruits. Reducing packaging and minimizing food waste are also part of the Low Carbon Diet, and in 2009, Bon Appetit will eliminate all air-freighted seafood.
"The impact of food on climate change is significant -- we urge the food service industry, restaurants, and consumers to use principles we have set forth in the Low Carbon Diet to understand how to reduce their consumption of foods responsible for climate change," says Fedele Bauccio, CEO of Bon Appetit Management Company.
Bon Appetit challenges all businesses working with food to examine the environmental impact of the food they serve, set measurable goals, and partner with consumers to achieve meaningful results. Bon Appetit's first steps to achieving their 25% goal began in April of 2007, rolled out on menus in all cafes in April 2008, and will be completed system wide by April 2010.
The new Low Carbon Diet calculator (http://www.eatlowcarbon.org/) designed by Bon Appetit utilizes a food carbon count point system. This innovative, intuitive online tool helps consumers learn how to choose foods with lower carbon emissions. Each point on the Low Carbon Diet calculator represents .035 ounces of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions of greenhouse gases. Based on peer-reviewed science, Bon Appetit calculates that a 'high carbon' diet equals 4,500 points, according to extensive research on how food is grown, processed, transported, prepared and packaged.
The calculator tallies the carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent emissions of favorite foods from lasagna to burritos, fresh and prepared foods, simple and exotic meals. For mobile phone users, a text-based messaging service offers quick answers on carbon counts by texting the letters LCD followed by the name of a food item to 69866.
The calculator answers questions from the most basic to the toughest, such as: Why are beef and cheese such high carbon foods? Answer: methane, emitted by large ruminant animals popular in the American diet, is 23 times more potent than CO2 at trapping heat against the earth's surface. Common high carbon foods in the American diet include:
-- Beef, and cheese from cows, sheep and goats. Adding cheese to a burger
increases carbon count to a whopping 1855 from the original, already
high carbon count of 1597.
-- Fresh fish that is air-freighted. Tuna flown from afar has a count of
1175, compared to tuna frozen at sea of 295.
-- An egg with toast has a carbon count of 442. Oatmeal is a respectably
low 144.
-- Vegetables grown in hothouses or transported by airplane. Hothouse
vegetables have a carbon count of 752; seasonal vegetables an
impressively low 80.
The Low Carbon Diet calculator illustrates an easy-to-follow low carbon eating strategy appropriate for a wide range of food preferences and dietary lifestyles. A pocket guide with tips for low carbon eating can be downloaded from: http://www.circleofresponsibility.com/
Americans' thinking about food has experienced a sea change in the last few years. The time has come for food's carbon footprint to join the list of major food-related concerns confronting our nation, along with human health, animal welfare, and community food security. The Low Carbon Diet could prompt a significant shift in the lens through which Americans view food choices.
Bon Appetit Management Company (http://www.bamco.com/) is an onsite restaurant company offering full food service management to corporations, universities and specialty venues. Bon Appetit is committed to sourcing sustainable, local foods for all cafés throughout the country. A pioneer in environmentally sound sourcing policies, Bon Appetit has developed programs with Environmental Defense, the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch, the Humane Society of the United States, and other leading conservation organizations. Based in Palo Alto, CA, Bon Appetit has more than 400 cafes in 28 states, including Oracle Corporation, American University and the Getty Center.
(1)Data from the Pew Center on Global Climate Change and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Third Assessment Report states that as much as 31 percent of greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to food and agriculture, including emissions from land-use changes such as deforestation for pasture- raising livestock or growing feed for livestock or biofuel. This estimate does not include emissions from food transportation, waste, or manufacturing.
Bon Appetit Management Company
