Bristol venue adds carbon footprint to its menu

Liam Stocks thinks the carbon footprint should be prioritised over calories on menus

A vegetarian restaurant is the first in Bristol to add carbon emissions to its menu.

The Canteen hopes to reduce its carbon footprint by buying local ingredients and reducing food waste.

In April, the government decided restaurants in England with more than 250 employees must display calorie information on their menus.

Manager Liam Stocks said that "cleaning up the food chain" should take priority.

The carbon footprint includes the distance at which ingredients travelled, seasonality of ingredients and emissions during production.

The carbon footprint includes travel, seasonality and production

Kierra Box, trade and environmental regulation campaigner at environmental charity Friends of the Earth, said switching diets to more carbon-neutral foods could have a huge impact on climate change.

According to a recent study in Nature Food, the food industry contributes around 40% of climate damage.

To reduce the carbon footprint of one's diet, avoiding meat and dairy products is one of the biggest contributors, according to recent scientific studies.

For example, a UK-produced beef burger can generate as much as 3,050g carbon per serving, compared to 300g carbon from its vegan alternative.

Ms Box said: "Generating these conversations is important and can have a big impact on consumers.

"However, the government and food suppliers should be taking the main responsibility for cleaning up our food chain."

According to a study in Nature Food, the food industry contributes to around 40% of climate damage

Mr Stocks said having the carbon information available at the Stokes Croft venue has proved it is getting people thinking in the right way.

"I have never done anything that has gotten as much interest as this project," he said.

"It's a really positive thing to get consumers - and us - thinking about where our food comes from."

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