I got to catch up with Executive Producer Erica Priggen from Free Range . . . → Read More: Changing our food system through media and education]]> Last night I attended a night of foodie-activist mingling and new media at the Green Zebra Remake Lounge. I met Anne from Civil Eats’ Kitchen Table Talks, saw familiar and new faces, and sampled some really good quality chocolate by Alter Eco (great stuff!)

I got to catch up with Executive Producer Erica Priggen from Free Range Studios, who I worked with to make Food Battle in 2007 (the video’s up to 150,000 views on YouTube and gotten a lotta comments) and heard a lot about the latest offshoot from the Story of Stuff video: Cap and Trade. We watched the Meatrix series and Grocery Wars too, love’em!

We also learned of a Low Carbon Diet Calculator designed by the national catering company Bon Appetit, mostly aimed at its college student population. It showed me a few new things I wasn’t aware of.

One would think eating all/mostly vegetarian would make a huge difference, but certain foods have higher carbon emissions than others. Grains and different types of rice even have their differences. Lundberg rice is one that’s grown in an environmentally friendly way, while some in the bulk bin may not be, even if organic.

Tofu, surprisingly, has a higher carbon footprint than locally raised chicken, and so do processed foods in general.

Of course meat and cheese are high in carbon emmissions. This means that even if you are driving a Prius, as a carnivore, you may want to watch what you eat to keep your impact down. A chili with beans has a lower value than one with meat.

But at the end of the day, we can make these changes, yet it’s our food production that most needs to change. A new series called Nourish by Worldlink strives to educate the public to ask these questions. I watched a trailer that looks good night, and would love to get involved with this campaign. The DVD will be available to high schools and educators, and series will air on KPBS next year.

Check it out: