ZeroFoodprint

The challenge:

Climate experts project that, should global warming continue on its current path, rising temperatures will alter the earth’s climate ecosystems – including our lands, oceans, and air in devastating ways.  One of the main causes of global warming is related to human activities that contribute to the “greenhouse effect” – warming that happens when the heat radiating from the Earth toward space is trapped by the Earth’s atmosphere. According the United States Environmental Protection agency, it is estimated that 30% of greenhouse gas emissions are a result of growing, processing, packaging, shipping, cooking, and disposing of food.

What can be done?

For many people, the food they eat is their most direct connection to the environment, as well as one of the most significant ways in which they’ll experience climate change. Food is one of society’s key sensitivities to climate. A year of not enough or too much rainfall, or a poorly timed heat wave or freeze can have a significant effect on local crop yields and livestock production. And while food is both a cause and victim of changing climate, it can also be a solution. With more than 8 million restaurants globally, if a fraction of that business focused on conservation efforts, it could result in a significant reduction in global emissions. The participation of just a few important players could underscore the role of chefs, diners, and restaurants in the global campaign against climate change.

How ZeroFoodprint is meeting the challenge: 

By working directly with both restaurants and restaurant patrons, ZeroFoodprint helps reduce the environmental impact of dining out. Zero Foodprint offers education and operations analysis for restaurants, as well as certification for restaurants who have committed to eliminating their carbon “foodprint” entirely. Through a mix of carbon offsets and food-related emissions-reductions projects, ZeroFoodprint enables restaurants and restaurant patrons to achieve carbon neutrality.