Food Notes - Going Beyond Climate Neutral Conference Notes
From Common Energy UVic
Back to the Food Working Group pages.
Notes from the food relevant sessions of the Going Beyond Climate Neutral Conference that took place at UVic October 12-14th 2007.
Session: Food Issues in High Schools
Convenor: Joe
Participants: Ivannnia, Gillian, Joe, Brianne, Erika, Matthew, Heather, Maggie, Darcy, Justin, Caitlin
Summary of Discussion:
- What is the process for curriculum additions? Prescribed by ministry of education (available on website), and there is some wiggle room.
- Teachers can develop courses around projected learning outcomes (PLOs).
- At Vic High, one teacher is very big into sustainability education.
- Esquimalt Secondary has some good stuff, and good student groups there as well. Must approach teachers first.
- ‘Walking the Talk’ group doing this to partner with (Maggie knows website). Should send the food group the information, and Walking the Talk has some ministry people involved.
- The PLOs are mostly set top-down. PLO review period?
- School districts (Richmond good), has some control over things, but a lot of staff stuff.
What will we do now? What needs to happen next?
- Create a Common Energy high school component?
- Research “Sustainable High Schools” – they have lots of indicators but not much in regards to food stuff.
- Open space in high schools? Sustainable High Schools also has a multi-stakeholder process where they try to improve high school sustainability.
- Eight high schools in Sustainable High Schools most in CRD. Also have youth seeking committees.
TO DO:
- CE work with Education on campus to create lesson plans. Sustainable high schools would include into indicators and advertise lesson plans.
- Geography students: do GIS (geography in schools) for one day – would this work?
- Growing Schools with Lifecycles, Jenna mentioned it was about urban agriculture in schools.
LAST THOUGHTS:
- If we include aspects of nutrition and menu planning it could be easier to sell.
Session: What are the steps/incentives/framework required for banning disposables on campus?
Convenor: Sarah Webb
Participants: Morgan, Lindsay, Greeno, Ryan, Renee, Megan, Andrew, Brianne, Caitlin, Ruven, Kristen, Tess, and Jill.
Summary of Discussions:
There is a series of steps would be taken in order to ban disposables on campus:
- Phasing out plastic bags and all food containers on campus.
- Tax on “take out”.
Ongoing - Educating people on options/providing options.
- Developing standardized Reusable Take Out Deposit Program. (Something that can be washed institutionally and returned in any food outlet on campus.) Additionally, during the 1st step, it is important to reduce the “take out” options in the first place, and ultimately avoid the “eco-friendly take out” options. These alternatives still have a significant GHG emissions impact, are expensive, and are usually composed of Genetically Modified corn.
What will we do now? What needs to happen next?
To answer these questions, many next steps have been discussed. One is reducing “recyclables” for items such as water, which eventually leads into the notion that reusable cups and water fountains should be a part of this program. For example, there could be cold water stations at all food outlets, as well as water in reusable bottles for sale at these outlets. Another idea mentioned was to promote the 4 R’s-Hierarchy, followed by the idea to incorporate cutlery sets/dish sets in dorm rooms for residence students. One question that was raised was, “what kind of partnerships/scholarships can be used to decrease costs?” This was then added on to by and inclusion of capital costs for new dishwashers. Finally, education is a necessity and ultimately needs to be focused on the many positive aspects. This fits into the final idea to create give-always to make people aware and get them engaged.
Session: Compost CRD by-law changes.
Convenor: Joe Melton
Participants: Erika, Joe, Iannia, Gillian, Mike, Richard, Stuart.
Summary of Discussions:
Initially, there was a discussion on Nova Scotia and their actual laws surrounding composting, and the question of “how was this implemented?” can be looked into.
Some examples of how this came to be elsewhere, what we can do in Victoria, and possible barriers, are listed point form as follows:
- Curbside pick-ups occur in Nova Scotia and Toronto.
- Victoria can expand pilot projects.
- Probably initial stage difficult to dive right into.
- Possible look into composting possibilities with the Community Gardens?
- Could regional Municipalities own composters?
- 30.8% of the waste at the Hartland Landfill were organic wastes in 2005.
- Education: an environmentally responsible method to use.
- Could further partnerships between GVCEC, Uvic, Oak Bay, etc.
One question that was considered was why the ban originally delayed, and if the ban needs education and alternatives, what is UVic’s role in education? As well, who at UVic will be able to lobby? What will we do now? What needs to happen next? There are three areas of focus that were identified in order to further progress in this project, and they are as follows:
- Get a researcher on this specific idea.
- Present to the University why it is so important.
- Get the University to lobby and build coalitions.
Session: Compost Collection in Residence Convenor: Unknown. Participants: Unknown Summary of Discussions: This idea begins by mentioning the desire lies in making composting and collecting mandatory in dorms, cluster, and family housing. This goal is summarized by three main objectives, listed as follows:
- Reduced garbage collection.
- Increased Compost Collection
- Dorm rooms to have Green Lines.
Session: Indigenous species as edible gardens on UVic campus
Convenor: Justin Grenier
Participants: Jennifer (librarian), Sara Webb, Joe Melton, Allie Johnson, Lindsay
Summary of Discussions:
In the sprit of increasing access to local foods sources the discussion highlighted opportunities for Native plant study group (Victoria, National History Club)
Concerns were raised about amounts of grass on campus and then tensions between grass and green spaces. Campus green spaces are currently being divided and marginalized, we would like to appreciate them more if they were more on the way to places and things.
What about using University and Cedar Hill corner for nature-scalping/edible gardens- these lands could also be used for training about agriculture.
The UCHC needed to be evaluated and viewed with an academic lens to see the space as having potential for learning
Session: Is there a mandate for edibles on campus?
Convenor: unknown
Participants: unknown
Summary of Discussion:
Question:
How can we convert extra grass space to edibles?
Is Quadrangle a good size? Maybe make some of it a new nature-scope?
Do nature-scapes cause safety/security problems? Thinking about Deer and Rabbits
Can we identify spaces that we can nature-scape Need to learn how to propagate indigenous plants where possible Need to know whether UVic has a cap on growth? One of CE priorities needs to advocate as a method of retaining green spaces Do we have a map that depicts where the green spaces are? How do we address maintenance of edible gardens?
What will we do now? What needs to happen next?
We need to work towards building a maintenance regime that ensure plants are taken care of.
Common Energy Food Group needs to write a letter to Neil Connell to initiate a review of UCHC, CC Campus planning centre to do a master plan review. Integrate naturalized projects into other course and curricula Find PhD or Masters Student willing to study and report of potential use of UCHC lands.
Session: Local Food Specials in campus outlets, how to?
Our discussion was very fruitful in terms of how chefs time/staff training impacts upon the menu set in the campus food outlets. Ivanina and Gillian both work on-campus outlets are were excellent resources for a more in-depth understanding of the barriers to creation of local food specials. Particular areas of concern include staff retraining time, chef time-investments, and meal cost (the maximum in the sub for a meal (entree + side = $6.95).
Session: Local food co-ops and making them more accessible to students & the public
Convenor: Jorden Leighton
Participants – Jorden, Morgan, Alison, Ryan, Tracy, Allie, Naomi
Summary:
Participants discussed the different box food programs and highlighted Food Roots, the group that organizes pocket markets around Victoria. Lifecycles was noted as an organization that has a local food coop and sells produce, runs the Fruit Tree Project and has a First Nations food project. The discussion then moved to barriers for some with regard to access of local food, current methods of food purchasing, growing, delivery and consumption.
What will we do now? What happens next?
Need to talk to legislators:
- Why is food from South Africa so cheap?
- Why are tomatoes from Saanich so expensive?
- What are the barriers at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels?
- We need to buy locally grown organic produce as much as possible – the marketplace will respond to demand.
- We need to pressure administrators who make decisions re: land-based use to promote local organic food production.
- Tax-shifting – how can the taxes we pay go to subsidizing local grown organic produce as opposed to produce from Chile. [Political Action!]
Session: How do we make Common Energy more accessible to the entire student body? If students believe they don’t have the so-called “knowledge base” how can we encourage the belief they can contribute?
Convenor: Ivannia/Gillian
Participants: Joe, Caitlin, Ivannia, Gillian, Reuven, Brianne, Jennifer
Summary of Discussion:
Participants discussed the various ways that Common Energy could be promoted within the student body and ways that Common Energy could become more inclusive and less intimidating to new members. Examples include suggesting alternative events to the conference that involve food, and social gatherings. Participants also discussed the importance of showing how individuals can come together and have an impact on institutional change. Showing them how they are connected to the broader university environment in a web of influence can do this. Inclusiveness was discussed and it was mentioned that CE should reach out to union staff as well and that within institutions people need to feel empowered in their areas because of what they already know.
Session: Waste management on Campus
Participants: Brandy, Brianne, Caitlin, Lindsay, Heather, Jorden, Mark
Summary of discussions:
4 R’s – composting incorporated, creating awareness around foils, soft plastics.
Zero waste goal:
- Disposable ban (pilot project with paper cups more achieveable)
- Packaging – look at link between UVSS & university. Team of champions.
Look into policies around packaging.
Businesses – work “bottom up” – get employees involved. Discuss with staff to get their point of view, bring up at staff meetings.
Discussion moved to the location of things like recycling facility placement (high traffic areas), integrating with compost stations and creating awareness about the new facilities and how to divide waste from the consumer point of view.
Social marketing campaigns were discussed as a vehicle to creating successful behaviour change with respect to waste. Specifically a visual waste campaign idea was discussed, as well as a plan with smaller goals that would create a climate of success around the initiative.
What needs to be done? What needs to happen next?
Inventories of stores on campus.
Assessment of how outside businesses/organizations have handled this type of transition.
Cost-benefit
