Baltimore Dinner Recognizes Hospitals for Reducing Meat Purchasing to Improve Their Carbon Footprint and Public Health

Baltimore, MD — Announcing “Balance Meets Taste,” a five-course dinner fundraiser showcasing meals designed and prepared by hospital chefs, made with many fresh, local sustainably produced ingredients to recognize hospitals that have signed the Balanced Menus Challenge.

WHEN: Thursday, March 4th, 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

WHERE: On the waterfront at the Pier 5 Hotel in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, Baltimore, MD

WHY:
The dinner kicks off a wide variety of hospital initiatives across the country being promoted during National Nutrition Month in which hospitals are reducing their meat purchasing to improve their carbon footprint, and improve public health and the environment, while serving healthier meals.

The Baltimore event specifically recognizes hospitals that have taken the Balanced Menus Challenge, a commitment to permanently reduce hospital meat purchases by 20 percent over a 12-month period. Globally, livestock for meat and dairy production accounts for 18 percent of greenhouse gases, more than that produced by all of Earth’s cars, trains, and planes combined. Additionally, confined animal feedlot operations, known as CAFOs, contribute to antibiotic resistant bacteria, and water and air pollution. The American Public Health Association has called for a moratorium on the construction of CAFOs.

All proceeds will go to Future Harvest, Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, which supports local farmers using sustainable farming practices.

WHO:
Participating hospitals and entities include Northwest Hospital, Sinai Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital, Carroll Hospital Center, Anne Arundel Medical Center, Harbor Magic Hotels, and Maryland Science Center.
Tony Geraci, Food Service Director of the Baltimore City Public Schools, and local healthy food pioneer who launched the nationwide program “Meatless Mondays,” will be the featured speaker.
Master of Ceremonies will be Robert S. Lawrence, MD, Director, Center for a Livable Future, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

This event is sponsored by Maryland Hospitals for a Healthy Environment, Health Care Without Harm, the Maryland Hospital Association, MedChi-The Maryland State Medical Society, the Maryland Dietetic Association and the University of Maryland School of Nursing.

HOW:
Tickets are $100 per person. Members of the public should contact Louise Mitchell by phone at 410-706-1924, by fax at 410-706-0253 or by email .

Note to Media: This event is free to press; reservations are required.

More information about the Balanced Menus Challenge by Health Care Without Harm can be found in the Balanced Menus section of our website.

For more information on Maryland H2E, visit www.mdh2e.org.

Heath Care without Harm, an international coalition of more than 500 organizations in 53 countries, is working to transform the health care sector, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment. To learn more about HCWH's work, visit our website at www.noharm.org, our YouTube channel at HCwithoutharm, and our twitter feed at hcwithoutharm.