Dining for a Cooler Planet

In 2018, UMass Dining’s Sustainability team created this initiative to address the intersection of food production, consumption, and the rapidly increasing issue of global climate change.

Events feature the innovative practices of food production, preparation and consumption that are helping reduce and even combat carbon emissions.

The Solutions that Inspire Us

These themes help shape each event and the featured menus.

By putting these solutions at the forefront, we are inviting new perspectives into the conversation and showing the possibilities of climate smart dining.

Dining for a Cooler Planet is inspired by PROJECT DRAWDOWN , which addresses diet changes and shifts in agricultural practices as integral for reversing carbon emissions.

“Project Drawdown’s mission is to help the world reach “drawdown”—the point in the future when levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere stop climbing and start to steadily decline, thereby stopping catastrophic climate change—as quickly, safely, and equitably as possible.”

The Events

Each Dining for a Cooler Planet event is unique and showcases a diverse array of innovative practices within the realm of food production, preparation, and consumption, all aimed at mitigating and combatting carbon emissions. These initiatives represent a crucial response to the pressing challenges posed by climate change.

In the 2024-2025 academic year UMass Dining Sustainability hosted three Dining for a Cooler Planet events that celebrated resilient local farmers, indigenous foodways, and sustainable seafood.

September 2024: Local Farms & Climate Resilience

This event was centered around local farms and climate resilience. On top of a special menu with locally curated ingredients, the event included a panel discussion. The panelists were Margaret Christie – the Special Projects Director of CISA, Gideon Porth – the owner of Atlas Farms, Chef Bob Bankert – Executive Chef at UMass Amherst, and Elinor Everett – Integrated Pest Management Coordinator at the UMass Student Farm. The discussion touched on drought and flood resistance, crop replacements, and the passing of knowledge from one generation of farmers to the next.

October 2024: What Indigenous Foodways Teach Us About Climate Action Featuring Chef Sherry Pocknett

On October 16, 2024, UMass Dining Sustainability hosted a powerful evening exploring the connection between Indigenous foodways and climate action. James Beard Award-winning Chef Sherry Pocknett, owner of Sly Fox Den in Charlestown, RI, was joined by her daughters, Cheyanne and Jade Galvin, for a special program featuring a meaningful conversation, cooking demonstration, and a menu inspired by traditional Indigenous ingredients and techniques. The event celebrated cultural resilience and highlighted how traditional ecological knowledge can shape a more sustainable food system.

April 2025: Sustainable, Accessible and Brain Healthy Seafood with Chef Barton Seaver

On April 17, 2025, award-winning chef and sustainability advocate Barton Seaver visited Hampshire Dining Commons at UMass Amherst for an evening focused on sustainable seafood. Guests enjoyed a special menu featuring underutilized species like Hake, highlighted in a standout New England fish cake with lime dill crema. Seaver shared insights from his work with National Geographic and Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, emphasizing how our seafood choices impact ecosystems, health, and food security. He encouraged diners to support local fisheries and expand their palates beyond overfished favorites like cod and salmon. The event offered both a delicious meal and practical ways we can support and consume sustainable seafood.