SR-091608-13E13-E
September 9, 2008
Council Meeting: September 9, 2008 Santa Monica, California
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE -MEMORANDUM
To: City Council
From: Councilmember McKeown
Date: September 9, 2008
13-E: Request of Councilmember McKeown that, in acknowledgement of growing
evidence regarding the crucial role of food production in global climate
change, the Council elevate food sustainability to a priority focus in this
year's Sustainable City Plan implementation; include food purchasing in
the City's sustainable procurement efforts; and sign Santa Monica on to the
global warming education and empowerment program called the "Cool
Foods Pledge."
13-E
September 9, 2008
JULY 21.2008 MEETING OF THE
CITY OF SANTA MONICA
TASK FORCE ON THE ENVIRONMENT
Discussion and Recommendations Regarding the Sustainable City Plan Food
Choices Indicator
Motion: In an effort to attain the goals established in the Sustainable City Plan, the
Santa Monica Task Force on the Environment recommends Council sign and
implement actions in accordance with the Cool Foods Pledge. The task force urges
Council to elevate food sustainability as a priority focus for this year's Sustainable
City Plan implementation. The task force also encourages the Council to include food
purchasing in the City's sustainable procurement efforts.
Additionally, the Santa Monica Task Force on the Environment recommends:
• the City contact Santa Monica College and Santa Monica Malibu Unified
School District to encourage these institutions to sign the Cool Foods Pledge.
• the Sustainable Quality Awards criteria be updated to include vegetarian and
sustainable food options.
Take Action: Sign the Cool Foods Pledge!
7/25/08 4:14 PM
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Sign the Cool Foods Pledge!
ta~~e ~ ~t~ ~t,~t caF e~~c~~! e•~s~rl^sti~tr
~'~'ar,$ fa a°e~aiue g1a~:ta v-vnr°z~~a_r ' Take the "Coal Foods" Pledge and help take a bite
out of global warming by changing the way you eat.
The Cool Foods Campaign educates people about the connection between fcod and
global warming and empowers them with resources to reduce their em~ronmeutal
impact. Our goal is to raise public knowledge about the effect of food choice on global
warming and promote sustainable alternatives so vve can all reduce our "FoodPrint."
With your help we can inspire people, organizations and businesses across the country
to change the way they eat.
Full Petition Text:
We pledge to promote awareness about the effects food choices have on global warming and
whenever possible:
* Choose organic foods
* Reduce conventional meat and dairy consumption; opt for organic, local and grass-fed
alternatives
* Buy food grown locally, or grow your own
* Choose wild-caught or local seafood from sustainably managed fisheries
* Purchase whole, unprocessed foods
* Avoid conventional processed and packaged foods, and choose homemade, local or organic
alternatives.
Signed by:
[four name]
[Your address]
Sign this
Petition
`~ Sign Now
mail:
first Name:*
______-
st Name:
Yes! Sign me up
or the Cool Foods
ampaign and keep
me informed on this
'ssue.
* Required Field
Sign Now '..
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http://ga3.org/campaign/CFpledge Page 1 of r
From the Los Angeles Times
Editorial
The U.N.'s meatless drive
Our appetite for steaks and burgers is a huge contributor to global warming.
September 9, 2008
So it turns out that meatless Fridays, which for generations inflicted fish
sticks and tuna casseroles on millions of school-age children, Catholic
and otherwise, were actually saving the planet. The United Nations is
now urging wealthy nations to make a dramatic shift in eating habits,
saying the best way to curb climate change is for people to go at least
one day a week without meat.
And Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change -- which shared the Nobel Peace Prize last year --
isn't just asking diners to bypass a burger now and then. After achieving
a weekly day without meat, he said, they should embark on a
progressive reduction of their meat intake.
The problem isn't so much with hamburger patties as it is with cow
patties. Meat production accounts for nearly a fifth of global greenhouse
gas emissions, according to the United Nations. Cows and other
ruminants, such as sheep and goats, release methane and nitrous oxide in
amounts that put to shame the carbon dioxide belched out by cars., In
fact, ared-meat-eater in a Prius is probably hurting the environment
more than a vegan in a Hummer.
The U.N. also is calling for governments to launch campaigns to reduce
meat eating. If they do, such efforts will probably start in Europe, then
sweep through every city, town, village and hamlet in Asia, Africa,
Australia and Antarctica before the U.S. Department of Agriculture
stops propagandizing on behalf of meat without any regard for human or
environmental health.
Which brings us back to individual abstinence: We're not calling for a
vegan revolution, but this page has noted that a sincere personal effort to
fight global warming must include a reduction in eating red meat. Were
fish sticks on Fridays really that bad?