What if Nutrition Labels Included Carbon Emissions?

A sample of label including carbon emmisons

We all know that the foods we eat carry a carbon footprint. And in fact, the diet we choose can have a huge impact on our personal footprint. But what if you could find out right on the nutrition label, next to fat, calories, and protein? It would make it easier to know your impact in whatever food you choose. The Swedes were the first to include carbon footprints on nutrition labels followed by the British, who added carbon footprints to produce.
The Global Warming Diet designed what such a label would look like. Just below the protein label you'll find the carbon footprint first by serving and then for the entire product. The label also included the place of origin and the method of transportation used to get it to you. Finally, the label included a carbon rating. This is all information crucial to individuals adjusting their food choices in order to reduce their impact.
Unfortunately, we’re not there yet but that doesn’t mean that you can’t calculate your own result. Clean metrics has a helpful food calculator which can help you estimate your food choices. Clean Metric's Food Carbon Emissions Calculator allows you to break food down into categories including beans, dairy, fish, shellfish, fruits, grains, meat, poultry, nuts, oils, fats, and vegetables. Input the transport, the weight, and how much waste the product generates. It calculates production emissions from cradle to farmgate, transportation emissions, and waste emissions. This way you can start reducing your diet's impact by choosing plant-based, minimally processed foods, produced close to home.

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