The role of education in preventing food waste

Collodi elementary school in Biella and the project “Meglio secco che nel secchio” (Better dried than in the trashcan)

Food waste in school canteens

Anyone who has had anything to do with the school sector is very familiar with lunch time problems: confusion is the order of the day, especially since every child has different eating habits, different problems and preferences. Thus, the issue of food waste arises in this context, but it is not only due to what people eat in the cafeteria: waste is also produced in the kitchen, before the food is served.

The REDUCE project, carried out by Last Minute Market-Impresa Sociale’s Spreco Zero public awareness campaign, in collaboration with the Department of Food Science and Technology (DISTAL) at the University of Bologna, analyzed food waste data covering a period between 2016 and 2018, sampling 78 elementary schools in three different regions of Italy for a total of 109,656 meals. In doing so, it could be observed that of 534g of a meal prepared in a school cafeteria, 120g goes to waste: almost a quarter of what is put on the table becomes food waste.

Indeed, the problem of food waste is a relevant one in relation to climate change: the entire food production chain involves not only massive water use (and waste), but also pesticides, herbicides and chemicals in general, land use, CO2 emissions from production factories and transportation. All of this then ends up in our plates, and if it is thrown away, not only is the waste itself a problem for its disposal, but it makes everything that was necessary for its production vain.

The “Meglio secco che nel secchio” project at Collodi Primary School in Biella, Italy

The problem in school canteens exists and it is not negligible: it is not always easy to manage the eating habits of the children, who very often struggle to finish the second course or are disinclined to consume it – as shown by data from the REDUCE project, which indicates that 27% of waste is made up of the second course, while 30% is side dish, and as the principal of the Biella 3 School Complex, Stefania Nuccio, also reiterates.

Collodi Primary School, part of the complex, was able to utilize the funds allocated by the Ministry of Education for the Edugreen call: sustainability workshops for primary schools to acquire and put into practice a series of innovations and projects to educate about sustainability at school. Hence the development of the project called “Meglio secco che nel secchio”, which literally means “Better dried than in the trashcan”. The project has been so named by teacher Ilaria Gerunda: as she explained, the aim is to recover some of the food wasted in the cafeteria by drying it and either using it for the students’ snacks or allowing them to take it home.

«Clearly, it is not possible to recover all cafeteria waste,» the teacher explains, «but it is important for us to send a message, not only to students but also to families.» This project, in fact, makes it possible to address the issue of food waste from a practical point of view, Ilaria explains, «It is important for children to address certain issues not only in an abstract way, but also and especially through the practicality of actions. This connects their emotions to the experiences they have.»

The conscious use of technology

One of the interests in the Collodi school is also educating on the conscious use of technology: as Ilaria Gerunda explains, «children’s use of technology is often demonized, but I think its role in climate change is important and, consequently, it is important to teach how this tool can come in handy.»

Indeed, along with the desiccators it was possible for the school to purchase a series of technological and interactive games that allow educating on the conscious use of technology, furthermore addressing topics such as renewable energy, food waste and so on.

Similarly, in addition to the vegetable gardens located outside the school, hydroponic greenhouses have been made available, which allow plants to be grown above ground, with reduced water consumption and low environmental impact, for growing vegetables even in confined spaces. «The aim is to create continuity between the outside and the inside, between nature and technology. It is now impossible to expect children not to be surrounded by technology and to wish for a return to nature, so it is important to teach them the potential of this medium.»

The importance of education

As already pointed out, food waste from the cafeteria is too much to be recovered and used at school; what is considered essential, however, is to raise awareness on the topic and integrate it into the daily routine, possibly affecting families as well. As shown by the concurring opinions of moms Elisa Cerra and Roberta Giavarra, whose children take part in the project at school, dealing with these issues with teachers by discovering how a drier works and where food comes from – through the maintenance of the school gardens – ensures that the topic of food waste and waste in general is also addressed at home. In addition to the discourse of waste, in fact, both families shared the experience of creating gardens on their balconies.

Therefore, the importance of education is clear: even though unfortunately these projects still receive some resistance, as indicated by Ilaria Gerunda, due to the demonization of technology with respect to its use from an early age, they are necessary from the earliest stages of growth in understanding the importance of caring about our planet and comprehend the powerful means we have at our disposal to address the climate crisis.

Irene Zombolo

Graduated in Journalism, Editorial Culture and Multimedia Communication, she loves travelling and learning about cultures and languages. She is interested in social and environmental justice to raise awareness.