TEMPE, AZ – Arizona State University students returning to campus this semester will have more dining options to choose from, including climate-friendly options.
ASU is one of ten universities selected as part of a pilot program that introduces low-carbon meal options known as “Cool Food Mealsâ€. It’s a partnership with the World Resources Institute, or WRI, and Aramark as well.
“What we do know is that food and agriculture account for 25% of total greenhouse gas emissions, so it is becoming increasingly evident that if we are to tackle the climate emergency, we have to think about food, â€said Edwina Hughes, director of Cool. Food for World Resources Institute.
The “Cool Food Meal†badge appears on some campus menus, identifying meals with a lower carbon footprint. The ingredient of a meal and the land eventually used to produce it are the main criteria for the badge.
Some Cool Food meals that will be on campus include a Southwestern Sweet Potato Breakfast Skillet, Linguine with Lemon Garlic Shrimp, and Cauliflower Stir-Fry Rice.
Hughes with WRI says that a big reason universities like ASU were selected is because of students’ commitment to tackling climate change.
“The university population is very active and determined to tackle the climate emergency, but I think there might be a bit of frustration with what I’m doing, you know, what I can do differently, it can do When they choose a Cool Food Meal, they know they are choosing an environmentally friendly meal, â€says Hughes.
