Columbia Cuts Food Emissions in Year One of Plant-Powered Challenge
Columbia has taken significant strides in reducing food-related carbon emissions in its first complete year of PPCC participation. The University seeks to achieve a 25% reduction in food-related emissions by 2030.
After joining the NYC Mayor’s Office of Food Policy to sign on to their Plant-Powered Carbon Challenge (PPCC) in December 2023, Columbia Dining, in partnership with the Office of Sustainability, cut emissions from food procurement by 1.59% while managing a 1.01% increase in food procurement volume due to increased Student Meal Plan enrollment. The number of meals served rose by 252,672 from 2023 to 2024, reflecting a 10.11% increase.
By adopting innovative strategies like reducing beef procurement, expanding plant-based menu options, and implementing an oat milk default, the University has taken significant strides in reducing food-related carbon emissions in its first complete year of PPCC participation.
"A sustainable menu isn’t just a trend — it’s the future of dining,” said Vicki Dunn, Assistant Vice President for Columbia Dining. “At Columbia, we’re making sure that the future is delicious, efficient, and built to last."
Columbia’s Emissions Reduction Strategies
Reduction in Beef Procurement
One of the key strategies Columbia has employed to meet its PPCC targets is the reduction of high-impact ingredients, particularly beef. While representing a small percentage of overall food offerings, beef has a disproportionately high carbon footprint. Between 2023 and 2024, the University’s beef procurement decreased by 8.58%, from 100,423 kg to 91,804 kg.
Adoption of Plant-Based Food Options
Columbia Dining has taken significant strides in introducing plant-based meals that are both innovative and diverse, offering the community nutritious alternatives to carbon-intensive ingredients. Highlighting sustainability without compromising on taste, dishes such as Mushroom and Lentil Bolognese, Chickpea Tagine with Apricots, and Portobello Mushroom and Roasted Butternut Squash Quesadilla have become standout options. These meals are carefully crafted to appeal to a variety of dietary preferences while supporting the University’s broader goal of reducing food-related emissions.
Oat Milk Default
In September 2024, Columbia adopted oat milk as the default option across its dining services. Known for its significantly lower environmental impact compared to dairy milk, oat milk requires less water and land for production while generating fewer greenhouse gas emissions. This transition aims to encourage the campus community to embrace plant-based alternatives without sacrificing quality or taste.
Leveraging Technology for Sustainability
Columbia has taken a proactive approach to sustainability by appointing a dedicated data analyst intern and developing a custom-built categorization tool. This tool plays a critical role in streamlining data processing by organizing raw food procurement data into predefined categories required for accurate emissions analysis. Before the data is input into the industry-standard Cool Food Calculator, the categorization tool ensures it is properly formatted and aligned with the 58 categories recognized by the calculator.
"Technology in sustainability isn’t about complexity, it’s about clarity. Our categorization tool simplifies decision-making so that sustainability becomes second nature, not an afterthought," said Samreen Afzal, Director of Sustainability Analytics.
Results & Analysis
Progress against absolute 25% target by 2030
The graph highlights a 1.08% decrease in emissions from 2023 to 2024, even with a 1.10% increase in food procurement volumes. Food procurement rose from 2,470,458.53 kg in 2023 to 2,497,684.85 kg in 2024, demonstrating Columbia's commitment to meeting the growing needs of its community while actively working to reduce its environmental impact.
Columbia University is making steady progress toward its 25% emissions reduction target under the PPCC. Starting from the 2023 baseline of 55,206 tCO2e, the University is working toward projected ideal emissions of 51,262 tCO2e by 2025 and a transformative target of 41,404 tCO2e by 2030.
Progress against relative 38% target
The relative target under the PPCC focuses on reducing emissions intensity, measured as kilograms of CO2 equivalent per 1,000 kilocalories (kg CO2e/1,000 kcal). Unlike the absolute target, which addresses total emissions, the relative target emphasizes efficiency, accounting for the environmental impact of food choices relative to the caloric energy they provide. By targeting a 38% reduction in emissions intensity by 2030, Columbia is ensuring that even as food procurement increases, the environmental impact per calorie served significantly decreases.
The above chart shows emissions intensity, or “emissions per unit of calorie.” Columbia Dining has achieved a 1.59% reduction in emissions intensity (kg CO2e/1,000 kcal) from 2023 to 2024, with emissions decreasing from 10.66 kg CO2e/1,000 kcal to 10.49 kg CO2e/1,000 kcal. This reduction aligns with the University’s commitment to the PPCC and its long-term goal of reducing emissions intensity by 38% by 2030.
The 2024 value indicates progress toward the ideal projected value of 9.50 kg CO2e/1,000 kcal by 2025 and 6.61 kg CO2e/1,000 kcal by 2030. While the current reduction is modest, it reflects the effectiveness of plant-based menu strategies over even a short period of time.