When we cannot see everything, we see nothing
Using Glimpact’s unique multi-criteria assessment tool and scientifically backed Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methods, Super Bowl fans can now better prioritize their actions to reduce the environmental impact of game day celebrations while keeping those just as fun
Glimpact, a global platform to evaluate products’ and organizations’ environmental footprint, shares the findings of its study on popular Super Bowl snacks. The analysis simulated a group of 5 friends planning to meet up out of town and share the usual chicken wings, pepperoni or BBQ chicken pizzas, burgers and fries accompanied by the typical sodas and six-packs of beers. Two eco-conscious friends then propose their respective approaches to limit the environmental footprint of the celebrations:
- A “vegetarian” night with veggie burgers, chips and guacamole over chicken wings, as well as a vegetables, margarita and blend of cheeses pizza alternatives
- A “carpool and zero waste night”, sharing a ride to a sports bar and consuming draft beers to avoid disposable bottles, cans, pizza boxes or cutlery.
Some key findings of the study:
Varying benefits of veggie options vs. meat:
- While beef burgers are famously impactful, some good alternatives exist: Beef represented a third of the initial party’s footprint due to cattle feed production and the significant greenhouse gas emissions of their digestion. While the footprint of vegetarian options like falafel or other alternatives is only ~5-10% of that of beef patties, meat lovers can also prioritize chicken burgers, already 3 to 4 times less impactful than beef.
- Some more surprising findings highlight the need for measurement: Whilst replacing chicken wings by chips and guacamole is a good choice (-10%) despite the high water consumption of avocado farming, note that a pizza with a blend of cheeses can be as impactful as a pepperoni, BBQ chicken or prosciutto one, if not more!
If transportation remains a key eco-action, the impact of waste depends on its nature:
Individual car rides were the highest contributor (~36%) of the original plan, carpooling allowing to reduce total impact by ~29%. If public transport is a plus, sharing a ride is already a great way to reduce your footprint. Plus, it goes without saying, don’t drink and drive folks!
Most disposable waste has actually a low environmental impact – except for non-reusable glass – noting that avoiding overconsumption remains key: While avoiding pizza boxes, cans or disposable plates and cutlery is of course highly encouraged, respective impacts were minor compared to that of meat and transportation. Beers (10% of the initial total impact) were a third less impactful when served from the tap, but the most important zero waste action definitely remains to avoid throwing away surplus food, so don’t bite off more than you can chew!
A complete overview of the results, hypotheses and assumptions of the study will be available on [www.glimpact.com].
Media Contact:
Olivia Ludington
olivia@firecrackerpr.com
