Greener by Default: Harnessing Behavioral Science to Combat Climate Change through Food Choices

Did you know that the food on your plate could hold the key to combating climate change? In a world where the urgency of environmental sustainability has never been clearer, Greener by Default is on a mission to revolutionize the way we eat. According to the World Resources Institute, our current food choices could push us beyond the Paris Agreement's warming limit of 1.5 degrees. Join us as we explore innovative solutions to minimize your organization's carbon footprint, all while delighting diners with more delicious plant-based options. In this post, we'll share some of the tactics we employ, and explain how embracing plant-forward menus can make a world of difference.

Greener by Default's Approach to Minimizing Carbon Footprint

Greener by Default is built on the belief that science can be a guiding force for positive change. We draw from the wealth of knowledge in behavioral economics to empower individuals and organizations to make more sustainable food choices. By understanding the psychology of decision-making, we have crafted strategies that make a tangible difference in reducing carbon emissions associated with food consumption.

Our Strategies:

Plant-Based by Default

Our primary strategy revolves around setting plant-based options as the default choice on menus. This straightforward yet impactful approach leverages the psychology of decision-making through a variety of mechanisms such as cognitive ease, social influence, and inertia. Numerous studies have demonstrated that individuals tend to stick with the default option, and our work has borne this out. By incorporating plant based defaults, NYC Health + Hospitals, the country’s largest municipal health system, has reduced its food-related carbon emissions by 36 percent. A majority of eligible patients choose the plant-based defaults, and the satisfaction rate consistently exceeds 90%.

Ratios

In addition to plant-based defaults, our approach encompasses several other key strategies rooted in behavioral science. When implementing a true default isn’t possible due to the structure of the food environment, optimizing menu ratios to enhance the plant-based take rate is essential. Studies show that increasing the proportion of vegetarian meals offered increases vegetarian sales drastically. This is exemplified by one of our clients, LinkedIn, which experienced a substantial increase in plant-based meal consumption when they introduced a 65% plant-based menu in their San Francisco office.

Menu Engineering

Within our arsenal of strategies lies the art of menu engineering, which includes seamlessly integrating plant-based items into the main menu for broader accessibility, subtly removing labels like "vegetarian" or "vegan" from plant-based food items - a tactic proven to boost sales, and employing enticing flavor-focused dish names to champion new dishes. These nudges collectively harness the potent influence of behavioral science to drive positive shifts in consumer choices, effectively establishing sustainable options as the preferred default for a greener future.

Measuring Impact

To help institutions measure the positive environmental impact of adopting plant-forward menus, we encourage clients to begin quantifying their Scope 3 emissions. Here's how you can measure your impact:

• Carbon Emissions Reduction: Institutions can calculate and compare carbon emissions before and after menu changes. Greener by Default provides guidance on quantifying the reduction in emissions resulting from increased plant-based options.

• Water Usage Reduction: Our services include estimating water conservation achieved by reducing the consumption of animal-based products. This is especially important in the face of growing global water scarcity.

• Land Use Efficiency: Adopting plant-forward menus helps preserve natural habitats and ecosystems. Organizations can gauge their positive impact on land use efficiency by diminishing the demand for land-intensive livestock farming and utilizing a tool such as Our World in Data's Interactive explorer to measure their influence.

Helping You Meet Your Goals

Our commitment to collaboration with like-minded organizations and alignment with globally-recognized best practices reinforces the importance of collective efforts in driving sustainability on a broader scale. Greener by Default encourages institutions to commit to the Cool Food Pledge, and is proud to help institutions operationalize strategies to meet their Cool Food Pledge goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the food they serve by 25 percent by 2030, relative to a 2015 baseline.

Greener by Default also aligns our strategies with the recommendations for planetary health guidelines established by the EATLancet Commission. This distinguished commission is dedicated to defining scientific targets and boundaries crucial for mitigating environmental degradation caused by the food system, all while striving to address the formidable challenge of sustaining a global population that is expected to reach 10 billion people by 2050.

Together, we amplify our collective impact and work towards a future where our food choices align seamlessly with the urgent need for environmental preservation.

Let’s Take Action

At Greener by Default, we are part of a movement to combat climate change by transforming our food system.

By leveraging behavioral science, we empower organizations to make environmentally responsible and inclusive decisions that create a healthier, more sustainable world for all of us. Our collaborative efforts with like-minded organizations strengthen our collective impact, bringing us closer to a future where sustainable choices are the default for all.

Together, we can forge a greener and more sustainable future for generations to come. Reach out to us at info@greenerbydefault.org to arrange a consultation.

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