School canteens : and if we ate less meat ?

belchonock/epictura

Published the 12.12.2017 at 17h37

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In school cafeterias, between two and six times too much protein is served to children, if one refers to the recommendations of the national Agency of sanitary security of food (ANSES). Greenpeace France has taken up this folder last Saturday with a report of how the representatives of the sectors of meat and dairy products, weigh on the State to choose the menus of the children. When we look at the numbers, one quickly understands the importance of meal composition : about seven million students are concerned, over 80 000 tonnes of meat products and 120 000 tonnes of dairy products.

Danger to the health…

Propose a diet rich in fats and animal protein leads to certain risks for the health of children. Diabetes, obesity, cardio-vascular diseases or even cancer can feed on an excess of meat. A danger alarming for activists of Greenpeace : “Why are the menus of school canteens are-they comprised almost solely of meat meals, while the national Agency of sanitary security of food (ANSES) recommends that to reduce the share of animal protein in favor of plant-based protein ? “

To answer this question, the association makes the lobbies responsible for the problem.

It denounces various actions of large groups came to boast their products within schools. The lobbies of the milk, meat and sugar are pointed out.

… and for the environment

If the health of the school children, middle and high schools is a concern in the first place Greenpeace, the impact on the environment also attracts his attention. On her petition, she reminds us of the evils of over-consumption of meat : “livestock farming accounts for over 14 % of global emissions of greenhouse gases and it contributes to the deforestation as forested lands are cleared to make grazing areas,” says the press release. Enteric fermentation in animals produces methane and the maintenance of the land is one of the causes of the emissions of CO2 and nitrous oxide. “

Based on this observation, the activists have launched a petition to amend the constitution of the menus in the school canteens. The opportunity to impact a billion meals distributed each year motivates their struggle.