University competition encourages food waste reduction

Rice University recently held its first Food Waste Reduction Competition, a part of its Zero Waste Campaign, to combat food waste by encouraging students to change their lifestyles, reports the college’s student newspaper, The Rice Thresher.

During the competition, staff weighed food waste from different colleges six times for two weeks and weighed five meals during the week of the competition. There was also a clean plate challenge that encouraged students to take pictures of themselves, as well as their empty plates.

Kira Bre Clingen, Student Association Environmental Committee Co-Chair and Eco-Rep, told The Thresher she’s enthusiastic about the campaign’s potential long-term effects, including more composting initiatives and sustainable energy sources.

“We’re definitely seeing more awareness and also more of an interest about actively engaging in conversations about the environment. This is about raising awareness and fighting against the culture of apathy towards environmental issues that Rice has,” Bre Clingen said.

Read the full story via The Rice Thresher.