Did you know that April 2 is Peanut Butter and Jelly day? More specifically did you know that Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches even had their own designated day? I’ve been a huge fan of Peanut Butter since I was old enough to remember and even now few things taste better on a nice slice of toasted bread. I’m not just writing this because I’m hungry but also to point out the significance of PB&J day and the fact that its a wonderfully eco-friendly lunch, dinner, snack or even breakfast if you are so inclined.

I thought I’d start with some history of the sandwich (honestly) and then look at the eco-benefits every time you decide that this most simple of pleasures is chosen in place of a Hamburger or perhaps a chicken sandwich. First of all though I’ve got a few confessions to make. I’ve never had peanut butter with jelly, growing up in England jelly is called jam and we use it or fruit preserves for toast and scones – I wasn’t even aware of the concept of adding it to peanut butter until I first visited the States. Secondly, my Mum being very Irish, made my PB sandwiches with butter and then Peanut Butter – don’t knock it til you’ve tried it. Nevertheless the elimination of jelly doesn’t make this sandwich less of an eco-friendly proposition. (though you should exclude the butter)

The potential for a PB & J sandwich existed as early as the 1920′s when Skippy introduced the jarred wonder on a national scale, it seems that World War II led to the first massive acceptance of the sandwich as GIs were given the protein rich sandwiches as part of their rations. By the time the war ended the sandwich was in most households that featured a children and has been ever since. I’ve also learned that there are many variations on the staple sandwich, with crusts or without, what type of jelly, how about with bananas? While I prefer a peanut butter sandwich to be toasted I can’t deny that few foods make me more rapidly remember being a kid than that taste of warm PB. So, let me leap on over to what makes a Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwich not only tasty but also eco-friendly:

Greenhouse Gas Emissions: 2.5 Pounds

Plant based sandwiches make a huge impact, the more frequently you choose to skip meat the better impact you can make. Each time you have a plant-based lunch such as a PB&J your carbon footprint is reduced by the equivalent of 2.5 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions when compared with a typical animal-based lunch like a hamburger, a tuna sandwich, grilled cheese, or chicken nuggets. Different meals have different impacts, dinner for example will save 2.8 pounds and breakfast 2.0 pounds of emissions. Its not a trivial amount 2.5 pounds of emissions at lunch equate to 40% of the greenhouse gas emissions you’d save driving around for the day in a hybrid instead of a standard vehicle. The positive impact is even better if you choose a PB&J versus a red-meat lunch like a ham sandwich or a hamburger, you reduce your carbon footprint by up to 3.5 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.

Conserve Water: 133 Gallons

You’ll be amazed at the water conservation too, would you believe about 133 gallons of water conserved at lunch versus the average lunch as set out above? If you can consider that just five PB&Js or other plant-based lunches per month would save more water than switching to a low-flow showerhead, you’ll be unscrewing the lid of your favourite brand more often.

The national PB&J Campaign has these and other earth friendly tips. So this Friday celebrate the classic sandwich (and on other days choose similar plant based lunches) in recognition of its own special day. Do you have a favourite or secret type of PB sandwich? Please share it on the blog.

Tags: eco-friendly foods, eco-friendly lifestyle, greenhouse gas emissions, hybrid vehicles, meat free meals, meatless meals, PB & J, PB and J Campaign, peanut butter, peanut butter and jelly, Peanut Butter and Jelly day, plant based meal, reductions in carbon dioxide emissions, skippy, World War I