In 2011, delegates to the General Assembly (GA) in Charlotte, NC, adopted the Statement of Conscience “Ethical Eating: Food and Environmental Justice”. The Statement is comprehensive, calling Unitarian Universalists to strive to choose foods that minimize harm and are protective of the environment, consumers, farmers, and all those involved in food production and distribution. These are new and challenging things to consider at events, especially when planners have little knowledge of caterer supply chains beyond ordering what may be listed on a generic menu. Where does our food at GA come from? How is it cultivated? Is farm labor able to work in a safe and healthy environment? Are livestock treated humanely? Do purveyors support local food systems?

What Our Planners Are Doing

Formally requesting caterer to prioritize local sourcing, with a goal of 75% local and 95% regional (by weight)

What Our Venue Is Doing

Food that can be rescued for donation will be going to two local organizations.

Jubilee Soup Kitchen  has been providing security around the most basic need of food for over 44 years. The kitchen and pantry provides meals to roughly 125 people per day, honoring the human dignity of each guest, non-judgmentally.

412 Food Rescue works with food retailers to prevent surplus food from going to waste. Through multiple programs, their technology connects donor with receipts, their kitchens cook meals, they create new markets for ugly food and they partner with manufacture on innovative products with rescued items.

What You Can Do

Although it is difficult to ensure that particular sustainable food requirements be met, the food choices attendees make at GA can have a significant impact on the environment. Did you know that meat requires 11x more fossil fuel to process than fruits and vegetables? And it takes 96x more water to produce meat than wheat? We encourage attendees to be conscientious of their food choices while at GA. Together we can continue to make a difference to each city in which GA is held.