December 9, 2024 - The City of Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations is launching the development of a new resource aimed at supporting residents in making climate-friendly food choices. The free A2ZERO Community Cookbook will feature recipes and sustainable food tips contributed by members of the Ann Arbor community, alongside stories of local leaders at the forefront of Ann Arbor's sustainable food movement.
Members of the public are invited to submit recipes and tips for inclusion in the cookbook. Preference will be given to recipes that (a) are plant based or plant forward, (b) use strategies to prevent wasted food, such as using parts of food that are typically discarded, or (c) feature local, seasonal ingredients. Especially encouraged are recipes that are nourishing, affordable and accessible to beginner cooks — in both cooking technique and equipment.
Transitioning to more sustainable diets is an important part of A2ZERO, Ann Arbor's plan for a just and equitable transition to community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030. “Food systems are responsible for nearly one-third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions globally," says Azella Markgraf, sustainability coordinator for food with the City of Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations. “Our food choices have a profound impact on our planet, our communities and our bodies, yet many people face barriers that make choosing healthy and sustainable options a challenge."
While many barriers faced by consumers seeking to incorporate more sustainable foods are structural, such as the relative affordability and availability of sustainable foods, individuals may also face difficulties in determining which foods are sustainable, where and how to access options that fit within their budget and preferences, and how to prepare sustainably sourced foods. The A2ZERO Community Cookbook aims to reduce these barriers by sharing tried-and-true recipes and food preparation tips from trusted neighbors while providing easy-to-understand information about sustainable food options in the Ann Arbor area.
In the process, the cookbook's creators hope to develop an approachable resource for sustainable eating that both draws from and celebrates the Ann Arbor community's rich and diverse culinary knowledge and traditions and highlights the role of food in building a more sustainable, equitable and resilient future for Ann Arbor. Once completed, the A2ZERO Community Cookbook will be free to all.
To learn more or to contribute to the A2ZERO Community Cookbook project, please visit https://osi.a2gov.org/cookbook or email Azella Markgraf, sustainability coordinator, at [email protected]. For more information about the city's carbon neutrality plan, which supports sustainable food work and dozens of other programs to advance the city's goal of achieving a just transition to community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030, visit www.a2zero.org.
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