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26 Figure 4. Annual savings in carbon footprint when the average diet in a week is replaced with the caloric equivalent of one serving of peas/day basis. According to another recent study of carbon footprints of dietary choices in Ontario, daily food consump on for an average person contributed a carbon footprint of 5.77 kg CO 2 -e/person/day, providing 2,294 kcal/day of energy. This means a calorie contributes to 2.52 g CO 2 -e. A serving of peas provides 260 kcal. If we replace the average diet with the caloric equivalent of a serving of peas once a week, you will keep 33 kg CO 2 -e out of the atmosphere annually. The more frequently we include a serving of peas in our meals, the more greenhouse gases (GHG) will be kept out of the atmosphere. Daily consump on of a serving of peas will help reduce 231 kg CO 2 -e annually (Figure 4). How much is 231 kg CO 2 -e? It is equivalent to not burning 96 litres of gasoline, or not using 153 days of your average household refrigerator, or not using 251 kWh of household electricity. Inclusion of peas in our daily meals is a big win for the environment. Highly-Nutri ous and Low-Impact Protein Rich Food Pulses play a major role in plant- based protein sources for human consump on. Pulses, which include peas, beans and len ls, are highly endorsed as a healthy, balanced and sustainable diet. They are widely regarded by the World Health Organiza on (WHO) as an essen al component to be included in human diets for the preven on of non- communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes. A number of na onal dietary guidelines including Canada's Food Guide and the USDA's MyPlate® recommend that pulses be part of a healthy, balanced and sustainable diet as a source of plant-based protein and dietary fibre. The APG and AAF footprin ng study confirms peas, which is a major crop grown in Alberta, can provide a significant propor on of our bodies' daily nutri onal needs and has a low carbon footprint. What does this mean to a person looking for a tasty and healthy protein rich food? Ea ng peas is "good for you and the environment". Funding for this project was provided in part through Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-territorial ini a ve. The views and opinions expressed in this report are not necessarily those of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada or Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. "Peas, a major crop grown in Alberta, can provide a significant proportion of our bodies' daily nutritional needs and has a low carbon footprint."

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