Food Sourcing
Sourcing local food is beneficial for both the environment and the local economy. Sourcing locally decreases your “food miles” and lowers the overall carbon footprint of your procurement. By supporting nearby farmers, you are investing in your community, boosting the local economy and providing stability to smaller farms. Additional benefits of sourcing local food may also include: higher nutrient values, more sustainable agriculture practices, and, in many cases, reduced health risks from pesticides, herbicides, GMOs, and antibiotics.
Blue Action: Ensure 25% of menu items are plant-based (or have plant-based options).
Blue Action: Ensure 25% of menu items include locally sourced ingredients.
Did you know?
Food Miles
For the average American, food travels an estimated 1,500 miles before it reaches your plate.
Many fruits and vegetables lose important nutrients after just a few days in transit.
Spinach loses important nutrients after just 8 days.
Sourcing plant-based is one of the most effective ways to reduce your business’s carbon footprint and to make a more regenerative choice. Industrial animal agriculture at the global scale leads to greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss.
Did you know?
Industrial Animal Agriculture
A quarter pound of beef requires more water than 30 average American showers, and a serving of poultry requires about 90 gallons of water to produce.
Animal agriculture alone accounts for 18% of all emissions including the associated packaging and transportation costs.