Fighting Food Waste—Good Old Boys or Young Minds Solutions? Insights from the Young Foodwaste Fighters Club

Food waste is a major problem, and it is estimated that 1/3 of all food is wasted. The climate crisis has fuelled an interest in looking for solutions as well as increased interest from youth to take action. School plays an important role here. The research goal was to explore that role in developin...

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Main Author: Bent Egberg Mikkelsen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-12-01
Series:Youth
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-995X/3/1/1
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author Bent Egberg Mikkelsen
author_facet Bent Egberg Mikkelsen
author_sort Bent Egberg Mikkelsen
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description Food waste is a major problem, and it is estimated that 1/3 of all food is wasted. The climate crisis has fuelled an interest in looking for solutions as well as increased interest from youth to take action. School plays an important role here. The research goal was to explore that role in developing young people’s engagement with food system change. The challenge of food waste was used as a case to create new solutions, while at the same time to create learning. The YouFoo Club program was used for the study and included 4 schools. It built on Project Based Learning, the Knowledge Triangle, and the concepts of 21st century skills; took advantage of scientific and digital principles; ran for 8 weeks; and concluded on International Food Waste Day. A sample of schools was recruited, the process was structured as a case competition, and the end goal was to present the solutions at the final event. The research shows that it is possible to bring youth into solution making, that the process contributed to learning, and that it fitted well with principles of Education for Sustainable Development. The following were found to be drivers: understanding evidence and knowledge, insight into digital technologies, the possibility of being able to work with mentors and role models, the possibility of participating in external projects, the setting of clear performance-oriented end goals, and the understanding of the importance of developing science communication skills.
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spelling doaj.art-d57a4ebff3944e608f0a5d7e61b0d7e62023-03-28T15:08:24ZengMDPI AGYouth2673-995X2022-12-013111710.3390/youth3010001Fighting Food Waste—Good Old Boys or Young Minds Solutions? Insights from the Young Foodwaste Fighters ClubBent Egberg Mikkelsen0Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 23, DK-1958 Frederiksberg, DenmarkFood waste is a major problem, and it is estimated that 1/3 of all food is wasted. The climate crisis has fuelled an interest in looking for solutions as well as increased interest from youth to take action. School plays an important role here. The research goal was to explore that role in developing young people’s engagement with food system change. The challenge of food waste was used as a case to create new solutions, while at the same time to create learning. The YouFoo Club program was used for the study and included 4 schools. It built on Project Based Learning, the Knowledge Triangle, and the concepts of 21st century skills; took advantage of scientific and digital principles; ran for 8 weeks; and concluded on International Food Waste Day. A sample of schools was recruited, the process was structured as a case competition, and the end goal was to present the solutions at the final event. The research shows that it is possible to bring youth into solution making, that the process contributed to learning, and that it fitted well with principles of Education for Sustainable Development. The following were found to be drivers: understanding evidence and knowledge, insight into digital technologies, the possibility of being able to work with mentors and role models, the possibility of participating in external projects, the setting of clear performance-oriented end goals, and the understanding of the importance of developing science communication skills.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-995X/3/1/1food wastefood systems literacy (FSL)young minds solutionsschoolmentoringSTEM teaching
spellingShingle Bent Egberg Mikkelsen
Fighting Food Waste—Good Old Boys or Young Minds Solutions? Insights from the Young Foodwaste Fighters Club
Youth
food waste
food systems literacy (FSL)
young minds solutions
school
mentoring
STEM teaching
title Fighting Food Waste—Good Old Boys or Young Minds Solutions? Insights from the Young Foodwaste Fighters Club
title_full Fighting Food Waste—Good Old Boys or Young Minds Solutions? Insights from the Young Foodwaste Fighters Club
title_fullStr Fighting Food Waste—Good Old Boys or Young Minds Solutions? Insights from the Young Foodwaste Fighters Club
title_full_unstemmed Fighting Food Waste—Good Old Boys or Young Minds Solutions? Insights from the Young Foodwaste Fighters Club
title_short Fighting Food Waste—Good Old Boys or Young Minds Solutions? Insights from the Young Foodwaste Fighters Club
title_sort fighting food waste good old boys or young minds solutions insights from the young foodwaste fighters club
topic food waste
food systems literacy (FSL)
young minds solutions
school
mentoring
STEM teaching
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-995X/3/1/1
work_keys_str_mv AT bentegbergmikkelsen fightingfoodwastegoodoldboysoryoungmindssolutionsinsightsfromtheyoungfoodwastefightersclub