Press Release: Fighting Climate Change Through Food

By Press Release On Oct 21, 2020 Last updated Oct 21, 2020

News Release — Ward 3 DC Council member Mary Cheh

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 20, 2020

Communications Director: Kelly Whittier

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Today, October 20th, with the support of 30 local food and justice organizations, Councilmember Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3) introduced the “Green Food Purchasing Amendment Act of 2020” to make sustainability and greenhouse gas (GHS) reductions a priority within the District’s food purchasing process.

“The food system is inextricably linked with environmentalism, and it is time for the District to align local food spending with our sustainability goals. And there is no better place to start than with our own local agencies. Once passed, this bill will ensure that any food that is purchased and distributed by the District, such as the Department of Parks and Recreation or the Department of Corrections, is meeting or working towards measurable reductions in food-related greenhouse gas emissions,” said bill author Councilmember Cheh.

The District cannot manage what it doesn’t measure, and the legislation requires the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) to adopt a methodology to estimate greenhouse gas emissions that occur through the life cycle of certain foods and beverages. With a baseline measurement of greenhouse gas emissions associated with government food purchases (including third-party vendors), DOEE will then be able to provide agencies with purchasing guidance and goals for greenhouse gas reductions.

“At a time where we are facing a global climate crisis on top of existing health disparities in a pandemic, this legislation is timely and good for the health of the District of Columbia residents and our environment,” said Tambra Raye Stevenson, MPH, Health Committee Chair for DC NAACP and founder/CEO of Women Advancing Nutrition Dietetics and Agriculture. “That’s why I applaud the continued forward-thinking legislative leadership of Councilmember Mary Cheh in keeping our people and our planet a constant priority.”

The legislation requires contracting agencies to prioritize environmentally preferable purchasing and reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions associated with food according to a specific reduction schedule:

10% reduction by fiscal year 2025
18% reduction by fiscal year 2027
25% reduction by fiscal year 2030

“If the District of Columbia wants to continue leading on the climate crisis, it must focus on the GHG emissions from the food it is purchasing. D.C. can reduce its carbon footprint and improve public health at the same time by shifting menus and purchasing practices at public institutions,” said Chloë Waterman, Climate-Friendly Food Program Manager at Friends of the Earth.

As noted above, this legislation is introduced with wide-ranging support from the District’s top food and justice advocates, including:

A Well-Fed World
Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments
Balanced
Better Food Foundation
Center for Biological Diversity
Chesapeake Climate Action Network
Compassion in World Farming USA
D.C. Greens
DC Jewish Veg
DC Sierra Club
DC NAACP Chapter
Eat for the Earth
Factory Farming Awareness Coalition
Friends of the Earth
Food & Water Watch
Food Revolution Network
Greenfaith
Greenpeace
Health Care Without Harm
Humane Society of the United States
Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future
Kids Power Inc.
Lean and Green Kids
Mercy for Animals
NRDC
Plant Pure Communities
ProVeg
Reducetarian Foundation
The DC Environmental Network (DCEN)
WANDA: Women Advancing Nutrition Dietetics and Agriculture

“As fruits, vegetables, and plant-based foods require the fewest resources and contribute lower amounts of greenhouse emissions, it is likely that we’ll also see a positive shift away from animal products and an increase in the nutritional standards of the foods and meals provided by the District,” said Councilmember Cheh. “Ultimately, our purchasing power is perhaps one of the best underutilized tools we have in the fight against climate change, and every step of the food procurement process within our management should be working towards our environmental goals and priorities.”

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