New 'Low Carbon Diet' Takes Bite Out of Global Warming

Bon Appetit Management Company's national environmental initiative shows
consumers and chefs how to reduce food's impact on the planet

/ADVANCE/ 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.
SOURCE Bon Appetit Management Company

: Haven Bourque of Straus Communications, +1-415-777-1170 x303,
haven@StrausCom.com, for For Bon Appetit Management Company