11 November 2024
 Just in time for COP29, the 29th UN Climate Change Conference, which kicked off today in Baku, Azerbaijan, traditional Viennese coffee house Café Landtmann reports on its latest climate-friendly initiative in collaboration with oat milk brand Oatly. As world leaders gather in the coming days to drive urgent climate action by encouraging nations to strengthen their action plans in line with the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C, Austrians are already putting their own solutions into action to meet the emissions reduction targets. On November 8, Vienna's Café Landtmann took a bold step toward climate-conscious dining by partnering with Oatly to host Austria's first "Cow's Milk Free Day." For an entire day, the historic coffeehouse served only plant-based dishes and drinks made with Oatly products instead of dairy. The initiative showcased how traditional establishments can adapt to sustainable practices without sacrificing quality. Guests enjoyed a range of non-dairy Viennese delicacies and coffee, reinforcing the idea that switching from animal-based to plant-based ingredients is both feasible and enjoyable. Fashion.at asked ChatGPT about the impact of switching from animal milk to a vegan solution and how much - in percentage - CO2 could be reduced per year in Austria. According to the calculation, based on available statistics about the consumption of liters of milk per capita annually and the CO2 emissions of dairy milk vs. oat milk, ChatGPT came to the conclusion that "switching from dairy to plant-based milk alternatives in Austria could reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 72% of current dairy milk emissions annually. This would represent a significant reduction in Austria's greenhouse gas emissions associated with milk consumption". (Answer generated today by Fashion.at on chatgpt.com.) In other words, the environmental impact of such a change is significant. If Austria were to completely switch from dairy milk to plant-based alternatives such as oat milk, it could reduce annual milk-related CO2 emissions by approximately 72%. This shift would save about 1.3 billion kilograms of CO2 per year, in line with the global push for climate-friendly transitions highlighted at COP29. Image, from left: The picture shows Roland Griesebner, Managing Director of Oatly DACH & Poland, and Berndt Querfeld, Managing Director of Café Landtmann. Right: An impression of the day without cow's milk at the Café Landtmann on November 8, 2024 in Vienna. Photos: © Aaron Jiang Photography. Roland Griesebner, Managing Director of Oatly DACH & Poland, emphasized the importance of showcasing oat-based drinks within Vienna's traditional coffee culture, noting that oat drinks generally have a lower environmental impact than cow's milk. Berndt Querfeld, Managing Director of Café Landtmann, said that for 150 years the café has reflected changes in society, including shifts in food production and eating habits. He noted that Landtmann has always embraced new and innovative ideas, even with the understanding that this openness could spark controversy. The decision to eliminate animal products for one day was intended as a statement to raise awareness and show that even a traditional establishment like theirs can offer a full range of dairy-free options. |
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