Jamie Oliver, enviro-dish de jour

We love Jamie Oliver, and not just for his Italian Asparagus Fettuccini. The “Naked Chef” from across the pond has been cooking up environmental credentials for years. When he asks for green, he isn’t just looking for collard.

Carbon Footprint Reduction

Most recently Jamie’s American Road Trip, his US cross-country cook-up, was planned and implemented as the world’s first carbon-neutral TV travel series. Jamie hired experts to assess the carbon cost of the production and then planned projects to neutralize the 242.6 tonnes of CO2 the show would produce.

Areas in India, China and Cambodia were outfitted with everything from energy-efficient stoves to solar or wind power generators. “My company is serious about helping to prevent the dangers of climate change, and we recognise that with everything we do, but especially with TV programmes like this one, we create a carbon footprint.”

Fifteen Cornwall Enviro-Gourmet

Fifteen Cornwall, part of Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant franchise, was built with the environment in mind. Aside from the recycling devotion demonstrated by the “Bubble Thingy,” the restaurant utilizes LED and low energy lamps and employs solar reflective glass in the doors and heat recovery systems to control temperature. Even the loo’s (Brit-slang for toilet) use rain water for flushing.

That’s commitment.

And of course, the menu is green. At least 80% of a Fifteen Cornwall dinner plate is filled with local produce.

Chicken or Egg – Jamie is changing habits.

Fowl Dinners, an Oliver expose on the British poultry industry uncovered the cruelty endured by battery hens (caged laying hens). His personal call to action challenged people to stop purchasing the lowest grade of egg and buy eggs farmed with human practices instead.

Singlehandedly, he increased the British demand for free range eggs to unprecedented numbers and has spawned a wave of chicken farm conversions across the UK.

And he didn’t stop there.

Although Jamie’s cooking show relies heavily on the sponsorship of grocery stores, his eco-intelligence comes first. Oliver lamb-basted the four leading British grocery chains when they refused to appear on his show and debate their poultry purchasing records with him. He didn’t spare his own boss (he is the commercial face of the chain Sainsbury’s and spawned a public spat that ended with the chain publically proclaiming a change their poultry purchasing mandate.

To complete, Jamie Oliver’s eco-celebrity status, we think an organic mattress from Natura is in line, right? Just tell us where to ship it Jamie!