To the editors:



The article “Down on the Harvard Farm” (column, April 30) was an excellent opinion article that discussed many of the environmental and welfare issues surrounding our food. Mr. Bollard is right to encourage Harvard University Dining Services (HUDS) to focus its attention on buying more locally sourced animal products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support nearby farms and communities. Animal production is the number one producer of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. food system—contributing nearly two-thirds of all nitrous oxide and one-third of all methane emissions globally.

I would also recommend that Harvard would consider sourcing grass-fed and organic meat and dairy products, which contribute fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional sources. This movement needs the strong support of a concerned and united student body. Harvard students have a reputation for demanding change and supporting environmental and animal welfare causes that also benefit the health and well-being of students and campus relations. I applaud HUDS for taking many steps to reduce their dining “food print,” but I hope to see a student-led initiative that demands even more sustainable and humane food.

We all have the choice to eat in a way that protects the environment, our communities and our animals. In so doing, we are advocating for a more sustainable food system and reducing our own individual contributions to global warming.





MEREDITH NILES



Washington, D.C.

May 5, 2008





The writer is the Cool Foods Campaign Coordinator for the Center for Food Safety.