As you scan the dinner menus after your afternoon class, you may be deciding which options look the tastiest (or at least, whatever is better than the blackened cod). However, in the wake of various climate movements around the world and Smith’s “Year on Climate Change,” you might be wondering how you can lessen your carbon footprint.
Choosing to switch your diet to a more planet-friendly one is arguably the most accessible action you can take to benefit the environment. We make food choices every day and even a small modification can reduce carbon emissions. But what does a sustainable diet look like exactly?
The exact recipe for a sustainable meal may differ depending on which expert you ask, but most will agree that beef is the most expensive item on the menu, environmentally speaking. A single gram of beef can require over 15,000 liters of water, nearly the capacity of a gas tank truck. Cattle can also release up to 500 liters of methane each day according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), accounting for nearly 10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, 80% of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest can be attributed to raising cattle, causing carbon sequestration to diminish as carbon dioxide emissions rise. Although it may seem minimal, reducing the amount of beef you consume by a third would lower your carbon footprint by 13%, according to the World Resources Institute (WRI).
While reducing our consumption of beef and other dairy products has the greatest impact, there are other avenues to consider when choosing to eat more sustainably. For example, buying local products reduces transportation emissions from produce delivery. Additionally, the way we manage food waste is another important ingredient of the overall sustainable dish. According to FAO, nearly one-third of food worldwide is wasted. While composting organic waste keeps it from releasing methane in landfills, it is better to avoid taking more food than you can eat.
Though there is room to improve, Smith stacks up to sustainability measures. According to Andy Cox, Director of Dining Services, our major achievements “lie in food procurement.” Perhaps the greatest success is Smith’s commitment to sourcing 20% of ingredients by the Real Food Challenge standards by 2020; we have well surpassed that threshold and now 30% of ingredients abide by these guidelines. Additionally, replacing paper plates and plastic-wrapped salads via the implementation of Grab and Go 2.0 reduced single-use products and saved the college thousands of dollars — money which can now be dedicated to improvements in food quality, such as locally-sourced meat. Ready to choose sustainably for your next meal? Be sure to swipe in (this helps monitor how much food we need), consider reducing your meat and dairy intake and opt for local products when you can. To learn more about where your food comes from, check out the Sustainable Foods Showcase in the Carroll Room on Oct. 23 from 11am to 1:30pm.
Many people ask if these efforts are futile – after all, how can one person’s food choices compare to the hungry capitalist mindset of major food corporations? Ultimately, trading one red meat meal a week for a plant-based one will not reverse climate change, but it is a low-risk way to get involved with the climate movement. Individually, you will be a better-informed citizen; and en masse, consumption patterns will change. Corporations, in order to keep their business viable, will be forced to reckon with the changing preferences of consumers and provide more sustainable products. Just some food for thought when scrolling through the dinner menus.
