US Tennis Association joins New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ plant-based food initiative
In a win for animals and the planet, the US Open commits to reducing food-related carbon emissions by 25 percent by 2030 as part of the Plant-Powered Carbon Challenge.
Photo: NYC Health + Hospitals
The US Tennis Association (USTA) will join New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ plant-based food program, as part of its efforts to cut carbon emissions.
The Plant-Powered Carbon Challenge will see the US Open and several leading national and New York City-based institutions commit to reducing food-related carbon emissions by 25 percent by 2030.
This move makes the popular tennis tournament the first sports entity to accept the challenge. Other organizations to commit to the challenge include Aramark, Columbia University, and the New York Botanical Garden.
The initiative was launched in April of this year, following the city's first integrated greenhouse gas inventory, which found that 20 percent of New York City’s overall emissions come from the production and consumption of food.
“The US Open is leading the sports industry in building a sustainable food system for New York City,” Kate MacKenzie, the executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy, said in a statement.
“As the effects of climate change become more prevalent, it’s putting athletes and many of our favorite sporting events at risk,” she continued. “That’s why we need to draw down our greenhouse gas emissions, starting with food. We are proud to partner with the US Open in their efforts to reduce their food-based emissions through delicious, plant-powered meals.”
The USTA announced the decision to serve more plant-based food to spectators in a press conference featuring vegetarian tennis player Marcus Daniell, as well as Mary McCarthy, VP of sustainability at US Open caterer Levy Restaurants.
“We know it’s the right thing to do for the planet. We know that it’s going to improve the health of everyone who lives on this planet, and that’s important for the USTA and the US Open.
”Our mission is to inspire healthier people and communities everywhere. We do that through our great sport, the healthiest sport on the planet, and we do it by working with the mayor’s office.”
Hosted at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York, the 2024 US Open began on August 19 with the qualifying matches. It will finish on September 8 with the Men’s Final.
Photo: NYC Health + Hospitals
The commitments made by Plant-Powered Carbon Challenge partners could potentially reduce emissions by nearly 40,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually. This is comparable to taking around 100 million car miles off New York City streets or planting 45,000 acres of forest.
The Mayor’s Office of Food Policy (MOFP) and Greener by Default will support partners in monitoring emissions and sharing best practices for transitioning to plant-forward menus.
Greener by Default is a non-profit working to make plant-based food the default option in businesses, universities, conferences, and many other places where people eat.
“In order to tackle the climate crisis, we need to take control of our plates,” said Mayor Adams. “We’re committed to doing our part as a city, but we can’t do it alone. Our Plant-Powered Carbon Challenge partners are stepping up to cut down on their food-related emissions, create a more sustainable food system, deliver nutritional equity and food justice for all, and make New York City healthier and greener.
“New York City is leading the way in reimagining our food system, and we’re grateful to our partners for taking a leading role in building a more sustainable future,” he added.
NYC’s Mayor Eric Adams, who has spearheaded several successful plant-based initiatives across the city in recent years, credited his switch to a plant-based diet with helping to cure his own type 2 diabetes and partial blindness.
Under Mayor Adams’ leadership, the city has increased the uptake of healthy food and decreased carbon emissions by implementing plant-based diets and nutrition in hospitals, schools, prisons, and communities all over New York City.
Want more plants in your life? Sign up for the Species Unite October 30-Day Plant-Powered Challenge! Starting 1st October, you’ll receive daily emails packed with recipes, advice, and support throughout the month. Join the thousands of others already signed up here.
Planted. Not Buried. That is how Eric Adams has chosen to see himself through the darkest moments of his life. Learn more about his story by listening to this podcast episode. Discover more about the Greener by Default initiative by listening to this podcast episode with its co-director, Katie Cantrell.
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