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March 18, 2008 Contact: Charmaine Daniels at (207) 893-7723 or e-mail cdaniels@sjcme.edu

Munch a planet-friendly lunch on Earth Day

Who doesn't want to help the planet on Earth Day? On April 22, you can do that by eating a planet friendly lunch at Saint Joseph's College, one that also “feeds” the Earth. Thanks to Bon Appétit Management Company, the college food services provider, campus chefs on that day will serve foods with a “low-carbon footprint” as part of their new Low Carbon Diet designed to increase awareness of the connection between food and climate change.

Bon Appétit chefs will transform each food station to highlight sustainable food choices and answer all the tough questions: does my sushi have more frequent flier miles than I do? Do cow burps really harm the planet more than my car's exhaust?

Driving less and swapping light bulbs helps the environment, but Bon Appétit general manager Stuart Leckie says, “Our food system is responsible for one-third of global greenhouse gases.” In other words, the energy used to grow, store, transport and process food is a big contributor to climate change.

Take a common lunch favorite, the burger: beef is a carbon-intensive food because it travels so many fossil fuel-based miles to get here and because of the methane that cows produce. That's often the case with cheese as well. Even lettuce and tomato, if plopped on a burger when tomatoes and lettuce aren't in season, have a real impact.

According to Leckie, most of the climate change warnings focus on carbon dioxide despite the fact that two other greenhouse gases common in food production – methane and nitrous oxide – are rising at unprecedented rates.

“As a chef, the last thing I'd ever want to do is harm the environment because nature provides the abundance that inspires me in the kitchen,” says Leckie, who nonetheless enjoys the occasional burger. He says he can make a more eco-friendly choice with a BBQ Turkey Burger, Onion Strings and a Three Bean Salad instead.

So what does he plan to serve on Earth Day at the campus dining hall? So far the menu includes chipotle chicken pizza with red onions, bell peppers, and crumbled oueso fresco topped with fresh cilantro (reduced- cheese pizza); smoked turkey breast with harissa eggplant puree, roasted red bells and caramelized onions (no-cheese sandwich); clam and mussel sauté with white wine served over linguini (use of regional fish to eliminate air-freighted fish).

Each Bon Appétit café across the country – 343 in all – will launch the low-carbon program in unison to effect change nationally. Each will stock information about lowering the carbon footprint of food while grocery shopping, at home and when eating out. Plans include an online “carbon calculator” at www.eatlowcarbon.org and text messaging LCD and the name of the food item you're considering to ‘69866' for a carbon count (standard text messaging rates apply).

Nationally, the goal of Bon Appétit's Low Carbon Diet is to reduce the emissions from the foods that have the highest impact on climate change by 25 percent within one year. To reach that goal, Bon Appétit is purchasing all meats and vegetables from North America, reducing the amount of beef and cheese served, eliminating air-freighted seafood, and decreasing purchases of tropical fruits. Reducing packaging, limiting use of disposable containers and minimizing food waste are also part of the Low Carbon Diet.

Local and seasonal foods remain the focus of the menu, but rather than simply giving burgers a bad rap, the Low Carbon Diet demonstrates how an ecologically responsible person can still satisfy their craving for high-carbon favorites. Diners can make their own choices, enjoy their food and take individual action to stop climate change. For more about the Low Carbon Diet, visit: www.CircleofResponsibility.com.

About Bon Appétit Management Company

Bon Appétit Management Co. is an on-site restaurant company offering full food service management to corporations, universities and specialty venues. Bon Appétit is committed to sourcing sustainable, local foods for all its cafés throughout the country. A pioneer in environmentally sound sourcing policies, Bon Appétit 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, Calif., Bon Appétit has more than 400 cafés in 28 states, including Oracle Corporation, American University and the Getty Center. ( www.bamco.com )