6 . This fall, students at the University of Massachusetts found a new menu at their dining commons: the “diet for a cooler planet” menu. This meant herb-roasted lamb, raised with a carbon-friendly approach. It included sweet potatoes that had been picked from a local farm’s field post-harvest. The options were plant-heavy, locally grown, and involved little to no packaging.
“We wanted to let students participate in climate action by making choices about their food,” says Kathy Wicks, sustainability director for UMass Dining. The university is not alone in this effort. Increasingly, American consumers and institutions are thinking about how their food choices factor into climate change. For many, small choices at the grocery store, dining hall, and restaurant can feel more accessible than big-ticket options like buying a fuel-efficient car or installing home solar panels.
Small changes in dietary habits may make a big difference. Climate activists often target fossil fuels and transportation systems, but studies point to the food system as a significant contributor to global warming. According to Project Drawdown, a research organization that evaluates climate solutions, the way food is grown, transported, and consumed accounts for about a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Beef is a regular target. “If, on average, Americans cut a quarter pound of beef per week from their diet, it’s like taking 10 million cars off the road a year,” says Sujatha Bergen, director of health campaigns for the Natural Resources Defense Council. Food waste ranks third among climate solutions. While much waste occurs before consumers are involved — food left on the field or “chucked” because it does not fit appearance standards, Americans also throw out a lot of food they have purchased: about $ 1,600 worth a year per family of four.
“People are beginning to understand that their food choices make a big impact on climate,” says Megan Larmer, director of regional food at the Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming in New York. But, she cautions substantial change will need to come from the whole food system.
1. What is the purpose of the new menu at the University of Massachusetts?
| A．To market the cold dishes. | B．To reduce the cost of packaging. |
| C．To popularize the plant-heavy diet. | D．To promote low carbon awareness. |
2. What can be inferred from Paragraph 2?
| A．Food is a decisive factor for climate change. |
| B．Food choices matter much to global warming. |
| C．Universities are working together in climate action. |
| D．Fuel-efficient cars are not affordable for consumers. |
3. What does Sujatha Bergen say about beef?
| A．It has great influence on carbon reduction. | B．It is popular among millions of car drivers. |
| C．It has a close relationship with gas emission. | D．It plays a significant role in American’s diet. |
4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?
| A．Food System Reform: A Successful Trial | B．Global Warming: An Approaching Danger |
| C．Carbon Emission: A Killer, or Healer? | D．Low Carbon Diet: A Craze, or More? |
