Municipalities
People want delicious, healthy food, and your municipality wants to achieve its emission reductions.
Greener by Default addresses both of these needs simultaneously by making plant-based food the default and giving diners the choice to opt into meat/dairy. This simple strategy normalizes sustainable, inclusive food, while preserving freedom of choice.
Greener by Default can be implemented for municipal staff meals, catered events, and food programs, and encouraged for local businesses, restaurants, and civic institutions.
Benefits
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Sustainability
Be an environmental leader.
Greener by Default can more than double consumption of plant-based meals, reducing catering’s carbon footprint by 40% and water footprint by 24%, while receiving positive feedback from diners.
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Wellness
Support healthy lifestyles
Greener by Default can improve the health of employees and citizens, while also cutting food costs and food waste.
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Inclusivity
Meet everyone’s needs, by default.
Greener by Default is more inclusive of those with allergies and cultural or religious restrictions. It also meets the skyrocketing demand for plant-based foods from Millennials, Gen Z, and BIPOC.
Share the benefits of Greener by Default with your team - download our PDF here.
For more detailed guidance, read Friends of the Earth’s Meat of the Matter: A Municipal Guide to Climate-Friendly Food Purchasing.
Contact us today to put your best food forward
We will provide consultation, menus and recipes, marketing and educational materials, sourcing assistance, and impact calculations, all completely free of charge.
Steps to Success
Greener by Default can be implemented as part of Climate Action Plans, food procurement guidelines, legislation, department policy, or nutrition standards.
Make it Easy
Make plant-based entrees the default option for catered meals.
If attendees RSVP for individually-plated meals, have an option to request a meat meal. If food is served family style, order plant-based entrees with meat/dairy add-ons available at the end of the line.
Make it Visible
Place plant-based entrees at the beginning of the menu or buffet.
Use appealing names that describe the flavors and provenance, rather than prominently labeling a dish “vegetarian” or “low-fat.”
Make it Plentiful
Offer at least two plant-based options for every meat option.
Ensure the plant-based options are flavorful and packed with protein. International cuisines that are naturally plant-forward are a great option.
