Three times a day, millions of Americans sink their teeth into a meal that is loaded either with risk or opportunity: our food choices can either cool down or heat up the planet. With recent science validating that our breakfasts, lunches and dinners — even our snacks — are producing a third of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, food is in the crosshairs as a major cause of global warming.
Until today, there was no way to distinguish specifically which foods heat the planet and which ones don’t. Now there’s help: the Low Carbon Diet Calculator, created by Bon Appétit Management Company. On April 22, cafés around the country, including those here at Wesleyan, will roll out the calculator for public access.
The Low Carbon Diet Calculator works according to a point system, similar in concept to Weight Watchers. It’s easy to use and designed for eaters ranging from burgers-and-fries fans to farmers’ market aficionados.
The calculator allows you to drag and drop menu items into your virtual pan. Common favorites for breakfast, lunch and dinner meals are on the menu, along with build-your-own options with vegetables, fruits, meats — even portion sizes and cooking methods can be calculated for a total score. Diners can choose from sample meals, lowering their carbon points to the minimum level possible — while still leaving room for guilty pleasures, as it’s the total of carbon dioxide emissions points on your plate that counts.
The calculator, which is free to use, is available at www.eatlowcarbon.org. To use with your mobile phone, just text LCD and the food item you’re considering to “69866,” and discover in real time whether your bean and cheese burrito or kung pao chicken is heating the planet (standard text messaging rates apply).
If your lunch score is off the charts, but you still want that double-bacon cheeseburger, it’s your choice — e-mail yourself your lunch meal data as a helpful reminder, and select a more planet-friendly choice like a grilled chicken sandwich or frozen-at-sea wild salmon with a seasonal vegetable salad for dinner.
You don’t have to be Al Gore to use the Low Carbon Diet calculator; you only need to point, click, and feel good that your sandwich is saving the planet. You can even inspire or irritate your friends by sending a copy of your meal choices in the spirit of green-one-upmanship.
Enjoy your lunch, and fight global warming, using your daily sandwich as your weapon.
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