Demand Sustainable Food Guidelines
The environmental footprint of food served in schools, prisons, military facilities and government cafeterias is largely determined by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. That means the guidelines have a huge amount of influence over our food system and makes them a target for the meat industry lobby.
And those guidelines — the ones that make up the classic food pyramid — are up for review. For the first time ever, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee is paying special attention to sustainability concerns, and it's clear a diet high in meat and dairy is unhealthy for people and for the planet.
Predictably, the meat industry thinks environmental issues don't belong in the guidelines. It's pressuring the advisory committee to drop sustainability concerns from national food recommendations. That's why the advisory committee needs to hear from you — so it knows how crucial sustainability is.
The average American diet has one of the biggest carbon footprints in the world — but eliminating animal products from your diet can halve your diet-related greenhouse gas emissions. Even reducing your meat consumption by one-third can save the equivalent of driving as much as 2,700 fewer miles per year in greenhouse gas emissions.
Act now: Tell the advisory committee to cut climate change from the American diet by keeping sustainability on the menu and including recommendations for reduced meat and dairy consumption in the 2015 dietary guidelines.
Subject: New Dietary Guidelines: Less Meat and Dairy
Dear [Decision maker],
Thank you for including sustainability in the review of U.S. dietary guidelines. Food production -- particularly meat and dairy production -- is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions as well as pollution, water use, habitat loss and threats to endangered species.
A recent study by the University of Michigan determined that if Americans followed the current guidelines, diet-related greenhouse gas emissions could increase -- largely due to the recommendations to replace meat with dairy.
I urge you to recommend reduced meat and dairy consumption in the 2015 dietary guidelines. A diet high in meat and dairy products cannot be sustainable.
Reducing meat consumption in the average American diet by as little as one-third can save the greenhouse gas equivalent of driving as much as 2,700 fewer miles per year. Please protect the health of Americans and the planet by recommending fewer servings of meat and dairy and a greater proportion of plant-based foods.
[Your comments here]
Sincerely,
[Your name]
