Bristol Venue Includes Carbon Footprint on Menu
A vegetarian restaurant in Bristol is the first to include carbon emissions on its menu.
By purchasing local ingredients and eliminating food waste, the Canteen seeks to lower its carbon footprint. The Government decided in April that restaurants in England with more than 250 staff must display calorie information on their menus.
According to manager Liam Stocks, "cleaning up the food chain" should be prioritised. The carbon footprint covers the distance travelled by ingredients, the seasonality of ingredients, and emissions generated during production.
Kierra Box, trade and environmental regulatory campaigner at Friends of the Earth, believes that shifting diets to more carbon-neutral foods might have a significant impact on climate change.
A recent study published in Nature Food said the food business accounts for roughly 40% of climate damage.
According to recent scientific studies, avoiding meat and dairy products is one of the most important ways to reduce one's carbon footprint.
A UK-produced beef burger, for example, can emit up to 3,050 g of carbon per serving, compared to 300 g from its vegan counterpart.
Ms. Box said: "Generating these conversations is important and can have a big impact on consumers. However, the government and food suppliers should be taking the main responsibility for cleaning up our food chain."
Mr. Stocks said having the carbon information available at the Stokes Croft venue has proved it is getting people thinking in the right way.
"I have never done anything that has gotten as much interest as this project," he said.
"It's a really positive thing to get consumers and us thinking about where our food comes from."
Source: BBC
