Toward food waste reduction at universities

Abstract

Food waste is a serious problem, which undermines the achievement of many sustainable development goals (SDGs), despite their consideration in the agendas of many countries and companies. Notoriously, food waste (FW) causes different kinds of pollution that affect public health and social justice, while contributing to economic losses. This waste phenomenon has causes, drivers, and impacts that require rigorous assessments and effective approaches to mitigate its noxious effects, which are a serious concern for universities. Within these institutions, reducing food waste becomes a circular economy strategy, which is being utilized to assist in promoting sustainable development. However, there is a need for urgent attention to the specific causes of food waste and for consistent actions to reduce it, while boosting awareness in the campus community and triggering a change in students’ eating habits. The purpose of this study is to analyze what can be done to reduce the levels of food waste at universities. To achieve this, a review of the theme’s state of the art, which is inclusive of an overview of food waste production at universities around the world, is presented. The study employed a qualitative methodology where a comprehensive review of the literature and case studies analyses from selected world regions were considered. The data indicate that a broad variance exists in producing food waste among universities, from 0.12 to 50 kg/capita/day. More factors influence the problem (e.g., gender, age, season, consumer behavior), as well as strategies to solve and prevent it (e.g., composting, recycling, new designs of packages, trayless meals, education), and benefits leading toward food waste reductions from 13 to 50%. Also, four priority actions were identified to reduce food waste at universities, and these consist of planning and awareness, food preparation and storage, services, and direct waste reuse. With appropriate adaptations, these recommended actions should be deployed as means for reducing food waste at universities around the world, while expanding learning and education in sustainability.

Toward a Greener Future: Applying Circular Economy Principles to Saudi Arabia’s Food Sector for Environmental Sustainability

“…Globally, the CE is primarily adopted in manufacturing sectors; however, in KSA, the food supply sector is crucial to attaining sustainability goals, and an agenda for sustainability needs to be developed. The UN General Assembly has already adopted a sustainable development agenda aimed at the "transformation of our world" toward a fairer and more peaceful future [138]. Aligning with the UN's goals, the KSA's agenda should include conserving the ecosystem, reducing carbon and GHG emissions, and curbing its ecological footprint.…”

Predicting food waste reduction behavior among students in higher education institutions

“…This research will be able to provide insights into how food waste knowledge and other food waste predictors included in the theory of planned behavior (TPB) influence food waste reduction behaviors among college students in Metro Manila. This study contributes to the growing literature on interventions done at the higher education level aimed at reducing food waste, which is still limited (Kaur et al, 2021;Leal Filho et al, 2023). The findings of this study will assist higher education institutions and relevant groups in implementing applicable strategies on how to prevent food wastage in their respective localities and inculcate in their communities regard for proper food management.…”

“…The study adds to the growing literature on interventions that reduce food waste at the higher education level (Ahmed et al, 2018;Alattar et al, 2020;Fraj-Andr es et al, 2023;Ko and Hong, 2023). Specifically, the study contributes to the limited studies on food waste at the higher education level (Kaur et al, 2021;Leal Filho et al, 2023). Future studies can conduct experiments to measure the effectiveness of various approaches in reducing food waste, and also explore contextual factors that may have affected their effectiveness.…”

Food Waste and Lunar Phases: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial

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