Lakshmi Kerr, has just completed her Masters dissertation at Leeds University on the feasibility of developing a GHG management tool to help the university reduce the emissions of its food department.
Abstract
"The agriculture and food industries are major contributors of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This dissertation assesses the feasibility of developing a GHG management tool to help the University of Leeds to reduce the emissions of its food department.
"The University of Leeds food department is large and influential, with 18 different food outlets and an annual food budget of approximately 1.5 million pounds. Understanding and reducing emissions in food production is complex and requires a whole-life approach that incorporates primary production, processing, packaging, preparation, and end-of-life management. Furthermore, the food production process is highly interconnected; decisions made in one phase can impact the emissions generated in another phases.
"There are many tools and strategies available to catering organisations to help them manage and minimise their environmental impact, but a single-tool solution does not exist. I propose a GHG reduction strategy based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to enable the University of Leeds food department to reduce its emissions. I discuss why KPIs alone are not a complete solution, and propose to augment them with strategies for menu planning, organisational commitment, supply chain management, and education and communication.
"The implementation of a GHG reductions strategy will not occur without challenges. I examine institutional, cultural and process barriers that organisations may encounter, along with approaches to overcome them. The most important approach for an organisation is to incorporate the environment into its business operations and to foster an environmental culture that encourages passion and enthusiasm for reducing GHG emissions."
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