Love Food, Hate Waste
The Really Healthy School program in the Czech Republic calls on schools to take part in the nationwide "Love Food, Hate Waste" challenge. The aim of the campaign is to reduce food waste in school canteens. According to school canteen cooks in the Czech Republic, 20 to 35 percent of prepared food ends up as waste. That is 96 million portions of food are thrown away every year. The good news is that this problem can be solved. By making a few small changes, schools can reduce food waste and provide pupils with competences to become change makers in food waste reduction. Any school can be part of the solution which consists of implementing four steps to reduce the amount of food thrown away.
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Useful links
Educational resources in the SZS CZ website
A UK report by WRAP looks in detail at food waste in schools and how to reduce it.
Eco-Active have some tips on reducing food waste
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'One third of the food we produce is wasted! A school food waste action plan can help reduce this impact on our food supply'
How is the project linked to climate change & sustainability?
Preventing and reducing food waste is one of the best ways to conserve natural resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. By reducing the amount of food thrown away in school canteens, the school reduces its carbon footprint, reduces waste in landfills or incinerators, helps conserve natural resources used to produce food, and educates children to respect food at a time when hundreds of millions of people around the world are hungry.
Who is involved?
Each school which takes part in the 'Love Food, Hate Waste' challenge will draw up an action plan in which it sets a specific goal of reducing the amount of waste from the canteen and a strategy how to achieve it. Then the school implements the plan, monitors every step taken and regularly informs the school community about results.
How are the participants involved?
The Really Healthy School program offers teachers a selection of resources for educating pupils about the effects of food waste and possible solutions to the problem. The topic of food waste can be included in many subjects, from mathematics, through biology, chemistry, to fine arts.
Key steps:
The project encourages you to Register to the Love Food, Hate Waste challenge, and then follow the steps below. You can implement the following steps:
1. Educate pupils: Using the materials provided, teachers will integrate the topic into teaching, educate pupils on the topic of food waste and motivate them to make changes and become part of the solution.
2. Make an Audit: pupils, in cooperation with teachers, get involved in monitoring the amount and composition of waste in the school canteen. Data collection takes place one day a week. Pupils monitor and evaluate the amount and composition of discarded leftovers and find out the reasons for not finishing meals by their fellows.
3. Evaluation of the current situation: pupils, in cooperation with teachers, evaluate the data obtained and present the results to other pupils, teachers, cooks and parents.
4. Set specific goals: after making an audit and evaluating the current situation, the school creates and Action plan and sets a specific goal to reduce the amount of canteen waste and strives to meet it. It regularly monitors and publishes indicators.