News / vegan
Petition calls for carbon footprint to be prioritised over calories on menus
Following a trial of ‘carbon labelling’ on menus by The Canteen, a vegan charity has launched a campaign urging the government to prioritise this over calories.
The petition, launched by Viva! has collected more than 1,600 signatures to date.
It states: “The urgency of the climate and wildlife extinction crises is growing and the government needs to step in and make carbon footprints on menus mandatory.”
is needed now More than ever
A piece written by Bristol24/7’s Community & Partnerships manager Meg Houghton Gilmour recently highlighted the problems with the government’s initiative that requires restaurants, cafés and takeaways that employ more than 250 staff to clearly label the calorie content of their dishes on menus.
In contrast, prioritising carbon footprint labelling encourages awareness and connection to what we eat, argues Laura Hellwig, managing director for Viva!
“Raising awareness of the carbon footprints from the production of meat, dairy, fish and eggs is crucial – a lot of people have no idea that eating one beef burger can be as damaging as driving the average UK petrol car for ten miles,” says Laura.
A vegetarian diet “greatly reduces an individual’s carbon footprint, but switching to less carbon-intensive meats can have a major impact as well”, according to the Centre for Sustainable Systems.
Viva’s petition continues: “Meat, dairy, fish and eggs have a considerably higher negative impact on the planet than vegan alternatives and we need more awareness of the link between our food choices and the environment.
“If everyone was to go vegan, it’s predicted we could reduce food-related greenhouse gas emissions by two-thirds and still provide enough food for everyone on the planet.”
This piece of independent journalism is supported by Natwest and the Bristol24/7 public and business membership
Main photo: The Canteen
Read more: First Bristol food outlet to trial carbon labelling on menus
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