Carbon footprint of university food courts and its relationship with type of food consumed

Abstract

The aim of this work was to establish the environmental carbon footprint impact of food courts of the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico by type of food consumed. This was achieved by conducting a life cycle assessment according to ISO 14044, 2006. The environmental impact was calculated with the SimaPro 9.1.0.11 PhD software with the EU & DK input/output food database. The method was IPCC 2013. The assessed impact category was global warming potential 100 years, associated with the type of food consumed, classified in the following groups: sugar, fruit and vegetables, dairy, grain crops, oils and fats, meat and fish products. It was found that the carbon footprint of the food courts is 7199.29 kgCO2eq/day, with a diet constituted by 42% fruits and vegetables, 19% meat and fish products, 12% grain crops, 11% dairy and 8% sugar, oils and fats. The average of carbon footprint per student per day according to the food consumed in University food courts is 3.33 kgCO2eq.