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 generates over a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, with animal-based foods being responsible for much of those emissions. 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.
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 waste. But there is more work to be done.
The University of Waterloo is looking for inspirational communication approaches to increase awareness of healthy and sustainable food choices available on campus and in our community, in ways that are meaningful for a student audience. Specifically, the hope is to develop communications assets to succinctly but creatively share or visualize the efforts that are underway within Food Services, the beneficial impact that they are having, and the decisions students and other patrons/consumers can make to support those outcomes. This work relates to Sustainable Development Goals 2, 3, 11 and 13.
Scope of Work
Develop a public service announcement/communications campaign for increasing healthy and sustainable food choices on campus targeting one or more of the following:
- Eco-certified products: Fair trade, MSC
- Locally sourced food (farm to campus fresh program)
- Vegetarian and vegan options
- Use of eco-containers and lug-a-mug
- Food waste reduction
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:
- Public service announcement text and/or images, visualizations, frameworks, etc. that the University is free to use in promoting sustainable and healthy food choices