measuring institutional carbon foodprints leana houser johns hopkins university

Measuring InstitutionalCarbon Foodprints

Leana Houser

Johns Hopkins University

Why food?

PEW Center on Global Climate Change 2006:

• 1/3 anthropogenic warming associated with greenhouse gases is from worldwide agriculture and land use change

IPCC 2007:

“global increases in carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration are due primarily to fossil fuel

use and land use change, while those of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) are

primarily due to agriculture.”

Why food?

Why food?

UNFAO “Livestock’s Long Shadow” 2006:

• 18% world anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions

• Methane and Nitrous OxideBeef andDairy =

46%

Agriculture

Processing, packaging

Transport and delivery

Preparation

Waste

What is the food system?

CO2, CH4 and N2O

CO2

CO2

CH4

CO2

Agriculture

Processing, packaging

Transport and delivery

Preparation

Waste

What should we measure?

Already captured in existing tools

Farm to Door

What did we do?

• CA-CP and CLF Collaboration

• Literature Review

www.jhsph.edu/clf

Results

2 6%

1029%

2265%

Full Life Cycleof Food Impacts

Stage-specificFood Impacts

Food notincluded

Tools for quantifying institutional GHG emissions

A New Tool

Recommendations for CA-CP’s Foodprint tool:• Include a “Food Pantry”• Allow for user generated entries• Impacts reported in GHG and other

environmental impacts

A New Tool

ImpactsCO2 1,309 kgCH4 3,099 kgNO2 1,558 kgeCO2 2,450 MTAir Pollution 1,403 lbsWater Pollution 3,800 gal

Item Quantity UnitBeef 10 lbs.Eggs 3 dozMilk 5 galTomatoes 10 lbs.Flour 500 oz.

French BaguetteRecipe Inputs Cooking Procedures Delivery

Item Quantity Unit Fuel Temperature TimeBread Flour 1000 grams

Gas 475 F 20 mins 5 milesWater 600 gramsSalt 20 gramsYeast 25 grams

Institutional Changes

• Develop lower GHG food purchasing policies• Purchase seasonal and regional produce• Eliminate air freighted items

• Menu development• Substitute beef and dairy with lower foodprint items• Reduce serving sizes of beef and dairy• Be creative with vegetarian recipes & offer more

• Audit kitchens• Energy efficient appliances• Efficient cooking procedures

Individual Behavior Change

Source: Bon Appétit Management Company. (2008). Low Carbon Diet Calculator http://www.eatlowcarbon.org/

Individual Behavior Change

Individual Behavior Change

Questions?

Contact me!Leana HouserJohns Hopkins University410-516-4002lhouser@jhu.edu