Background
Our food choices affect our health, our pocketbooks, our self-image, and they also have an environmental footprint. Food production, transportation, processing, packaging and disposal are also responsible for significant environmental impacts. And when it comes to climate change, food is responsible for over a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, with animal-based foods being responsible for much of those emissions1,2 . Yet consumers are often unaware or have misconceptions about the magnitude and factors that contribute to the environmental footprint of their food choices. The University of Waterloo Environmental Sustainability Strategy aims to address some of this knowledge gap through objective O12: by 2020, deliver multifaceted programming to grow student and employee awareness about healthy and sustainable food choices. This work also relates to the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2, 3, 12, and 13.
To date, the Sustainability Office and Food Services have rolled out 18 programs and initiatives to promote sustainable food choices and practices, including workshops, food labels, increased plant-based menu options, sourcing local food, and encouraging reduced food waste3 . But there is more work to be done.
The University of Waterloo is looking for a communications strategy to further increase awareness of healthy and sustainable food choices available on campus and in our community.
Scope of Work
- Research sustainable and healthy food choices, including climate impacts, geographic and seasonal food sourcing (local vs imported), certification mechanisms, packaging, waste management, and others.
- Conduct a survey of student and employee sustainable and healthy food literacy, attitudes, and priorities.
- Research best practices from other major institutions for increasing awareness of the health and environmental impacts of food choices.
- Develop a communications strategy for increasing healthy and sustainable food choices on campus.
- Make recommendations for how to easily measure the impact of that communications strategy on food choices on campus.
Resources
Data is available through the Sustainability Office for plant-based purchases from Food Services since 2020. The Sustainability Office can also help to promote the food choices survey and make connections with Food Services staff as needed.
Stakeholders
- Sustainability Office
- Food Services
Proposed Deliverables
The details of the deliverables are flexible but must meet the requirements set out by the course instructor. Some proposed deliverables include:
- A work plan early in the term outlining key milestones and responsibilities.
- Updates on progress at least once during the term.
- A final report outlining the outcomes of the research, survey results and analysis, communications strategy, and recommendations.
- A final meeting to review the outcomes of the report and answer questions.
1 Poore, J., & Nemecek, T. (2018). Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers. Science, 360(6392), 987-992
2 Ritchie, H. (2021). You want to reduce the carbon footprint of your food? Focus on what you eat, not whether your food is local. Our World in Data. Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/food-choice-vs-eating-local
3 Sustainability (n.d.). Food choices. University of Waterloo. retrieved from https://uwaterloo.ca/sustainability/about/reporting/food-data