Living

Bon Appétit Management, a “custom restaurant company that provides café and catering services to corporations, universities, and specialty venues,” recently launched an online Low Carbon Diet Calculator designed to assist users in evaluating the estimated carbon impacts of their food choices.

The company, which has developed programs with Environmental Defense, the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch, and other conservation organizations, hopes that the calculator will help consumers connect with the environmental impact of their diets.

While the calculator is lacking in a number of areas (it doesn't distinguish between different beef sources, and omits a soymilk option for breakfast), it’s still informative and easy to use: Simply drag and drop food items into the virtual frying pan to estimate the level of carbon dioxide emissions that will be created by a meal.

www.eatlowcarbon.org