Fostering environmental awareness towards responsible food consumption and reduced food waste in chemical engineering students

Abstract

Education for sustainable development through activities or seminars is part of the training program for chemical engineering students to strengthen their commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) included in Agenda 2030. Food waste is not only an ethical and economic issue; it also depletes limited natural resources. In terms of the most recognized environmental indicator, food waste generates about 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In this regard, curbing the growing trend of over-consumption of goods that we will not consume can have a significant effect on reducing the environmental impact associated with food production.The evaluation of the environmental impacts associated with non-responsible food consumption address SDGs No. 1, 2, 6, 12 and 13 and creates a framework for discussion on how to prevent food waste and strengthen the sustainability of the food system. The activity included both group activities (search for life cycle characterization factors to estimate the carbon and water footprints of food) and individual activities (collection of food waste data) over several months. When comparing the values of environmental footprints at the beginning and end of the activity, the most rational consumption of meat and dairy products was responsible for the largest proportion of the reduction achieved (70 %). The activity was evaluated by the students with an average of 3.40 (between 1 and 4), with a remarkable percentage of students (>75 %) who valued the activity positively both in the definition of the different phases of the work and in the monitoring of the results.