February 27, 2023
By: Trimmel Gomes
Students in the Orlando area could soon get more
classroom time during their lunchtime, to learn more about ways to fight hunger
and food waste.
It is estimated 40% of the food produced globally is lost or wasted. The "Food
Waste Warrior" program of the World Wildlife Fund inspires
children to help alleviate local and global food insecurity. It prompts them to
think through practical, easy-to-implement solutions, like a "share
table," where food they are not going to eat can be shared with someone
else.
Alex Nichols-Vinueza, program manager for food loss and waste for the World
Wildlife Fund, said the idea is to empower students to have a role in
addressing issues in their community.
"Around food insecurity, around the environmental impacts of the food
system," Nichols-Vinueza explained. "It's a way that it's not
controversial; that you can really engage students on some of these
issues."
He pointed out they are just starting in Orlando, making connections with
school districts and community partners and their goal is to work with five to
seven schools in the year ahead. In addition to providing free
educational materials, there will be grant opportunities to get
programs and ideas off the ground.
Nichols-Vinueza noted reducing food waste is increasingly being recognized as
an effective solution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He added it is not
political, like so many facets of the climate-change debate. And one practical
way to help students understand is through "show and tell."
"Engaging in an interactive way, get into their cafeterias and look at
what's being thrown away," Nichols-Vinueza emphasized. "What are
those foods that are most being discarded, and why. And it's a very visceral
understanding of the issue."
The program calls on schools across the country to use their cafeterias as
classrooms through activities like conducting food-waste audits, and learning
more about the connections between their food, wildlife and habitat
conservation.
Content for this Post is provided by Florida News
Connection, a Bureau of Public News Service.
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