A Northeast Forum on Climate-Friendly School Food
Albany, NY, May 2019
On the heels of New York City’s adoption of Resolution 238, which will cut purchases of red meat by 50 percent and eliminate processed meat in its city facilities such as correctional facilities, schools and hospitals, over 70 school food representatives joined together to learn about bringing climate-friendly food to their school districts at a forum hosted by Friends of the Earth and the Tisch Food Center.
With industrial animal agriculture accounting for more global greenhouse gas emissions than the entire transport sector, school districts are coming together to learn how to apply their purchasing power towards more plant-forward food that is healthier for students and the planet, while also being cost-effective! Over seven billion meals are served annually across K-12 schools in the U.S., and what school districts serve on those trays can make a big difference.
Featured presenters and resources on greening school food:
Press Advisory
Agenda
Presenters’ Slides:
Why Climate-Friendly Food Service?
Chloe Waterman – Friends of the Earth, Why healthy, climate-friendly foodservice?
Dr. Milton Mills – The health benefits of plant-forward meals.
Mini-Keynote
Pam Koch, Tisch Food Center – The intersection of child nutrition and food justice.
Climate-Friendly School Food Case Studies
Beth Krause, Ithaca City School District.
Stephen O’Brien, New York City Department of Education, Office of School Food.
Mellissa Honeywood, Cambridge Public Schools.
Bill Whitcomb, Jr., Whitsons Culinary Group.
Resources for Change: Bringing climate-friendly, plant-based meals to your school district
- American Farmland Trust
- Chef Ann Foundation
- Coalition for Healthy School Food
- Food Forward
- Friends of the Earth
- Meatless Mondays
- NYC Good Food Purchasing Campaign
- One Meal a Day for the Planet
- Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
- Tisch Food Center, Teachers College Columbia University
- Wellness in the Schools
The event was co-sponsored by One Meal a Day for the Planet, the Humane Society of the United States’ Food Forward initiative, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Coalition for Healthy School Food, Chef Ann Foundation, Meatless Monday, A Well-Fed World, VegFund and the University at Albany.