CoolFood Pledge

In 2019, the University of Pittsburgh was among the first signatories — and one of  the first universities worldwide — to join in the CoolFood Pledge, a global initiative led by the World Resources Institute (WRI) to cut food-related greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030.

The CoolFood Pledge is a global initiative for organizations (health care, manufacturing, food, and universities) to commit to a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from food distributed or created.

“As a leader in sustainable dining, serving 30,000 meals a day, the University of Pittsburgh is proud to join with organizations worldwide in offering delicious food that is healthy and better for the planet. The Cool Food Pledge reinforces our sustainability goals, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent and serving more local, plant-based and organic foods.”

Aurora Sharrard, Executive Director of Sustainability

For calendar year 2021, Pitt’s food-related GHG emissions were 15.5% below our 2017 baseline, with GHG emissions “per plate” (i.e., per 1,000 kcal) down 25% from our 2017 baseline. Performing better in GHG emissions per plate than both the average North American diet and other higher education CoolFood Pledge members.

According to the World Resources Institute, CoolFood Meals have a low carbon footprint, meeting the UN SDG 2030 goal level of food-related emissions. Using an ingredients list, WRI calculates a dish’s carbon footprint by analyzing the agricultural supply chain and land used to produce the meal. Since joining the Cool Food Pledge, Pitt has used this science-based target as our primary performance measure for the Pitt Sustainability Plan’s original goal to “Serve meals that put plants at the center of the plate by decreasing the amount of animal-derived products sold by 25% by 2025 (from 2017 baseline).”

Working with WRI to calculate food-related GHG emissions has also enabled Pitt to include food purchases in the University’s annual GHG inventory; Pitt’s FY21 GHG inventory revealed that food purchases accounted for 1.7% of the University’s GHG emissions (more than paper, refrigerants, solid waste, and wastewater combined).

The Climate Impact of Food

What we eat, and how that food is produced, doesn’t just affect our health but also the environment. Food production is responsible for a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The type of food you eat varies in impact as shown below. Ruminant livestock – like cattle – for example, produce methane through an enteric fermentation process. This methane has 28 times greater global warming potential than carbon dioxide.

Agricultural production has lasting impacts on our environment such as the release of nitrous oxide from the application of fertilizers and manure; methane emissions; and carbon dioxide emissions from agricultural machinery and transportation.

What Can You Do to Reduce Your Food Emissions?

  • Food waste is responsible for 6% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. You can help reduce food waste by:
    • Meal planning so you buy only what you need and use the food that you purchase.
    • Changing our food-system by buying “imperfect” produce.
    • If you do need to throw out food, composting your leftovers can reduce the amount of methane and carbon dioxide released by the organic waste.
  • Buy organic or food with a sustainable certification when possible.
  • Buy locally grown produce and animal-based products by visiting a nearby farmer’s market. This is a great way to support your local businesses and help reduce emissions. However, transportation of food accounts for less than 10% of food emissions so to significantly reduce your emissions focus on what you eat and how you eat.