The University of Barcelona and the Banc dels Aliments Foundation present the campaign against food waste “We are what we throw away”

Campaign against food waste (2012-2013).
Campaign against food waste (2012-2013).
(26/03/2013)

The University of Barcelona and the Banc dels Aliments Foundation, aware of the serious problems of Catalan society in times of crisis, join efforts and set up an initiative which aims at opening a debate on food waste and the need to find a solution. The campaign, which will be promoted in the period 2013-2014, is part of the European Year against Food Waste, which will be celebrated in 2014.

Campaign against food waste (2012-2013).
Campaign against food waste (2012-2013).
26/03/2013

The University of Barcelona and the Banc dels Aliments Foundation, aware of the serious problems of Catalan society in times of crisis, join efforts and set up an initiative which aims at opening a debate on food waste and the need to find a solution. The campaign, which will be promoted in the period 2013-2014, is part of the European Year against Food Waste, which will be celebrated in 2014.

In this context, the UB and the Banc dels Aliments Foundation set up the campaign “We are what we throw away”, which was presented on 5th March at the Food and Nutrition campus, located in Santa Coloma de Gramenet. The degrees in Human Nutrition and Dietetics and in Food Science and Technology, courses of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the UB, are taught on this campus.

Main points of the campaign

The University of Barcelona wants to act directly on its centres, especially, on dining halls, to alert to the urgency of the situation and consolidate attitudes of positive change towards food waste. The objective is to raise all citizensʼ awareness of the need to improve food management and reduce food waste.

One of the objectives of the campaign is to disseminate the problem of food waste and make population aware of its seriousness. Therefore, technical and scientific lectures will be given to analyse the main aspects that must be handled, without forgetting that our lifestyle and eating habits must be those defined in the so-called Mediterranean diet.

Another aim is to promote a reduction of organic waste, as well as of production, transformation and distribution food surpluses, in order to reduce the ecological footprint produced by unneeded transport. The best way to attain it is to recover and rescue food, fostering solidarity networks which fight against poverty, and donate food which is perfectly edible food but not sellable to the Banc dels Aliments.

Moreover, it denounces the environmental and poverty consequences derived from food waste. Population and people involved in the food chain, from food production to household consumption, must be sensitized to the need to reduce the environmental impact of organic waste, in order to limit the production of carbon dioxide and methane which have a direct effect on climate change.

The University aims to fulfil its primary social function: educate citizens, especially students, combining in a suitable way university education with actions to promote a positive behaviour towards food waste. The collaboration among responsible administrations (towns, Metropolitan Area, Catalan Waste Agency) will be fostered in order to create synergies which enable to optimize the results of the campaign.

The UB campaing, promoted by the Office of the Commissioner for Social Development and Ageing, is supported by the Food and Nutrition campus of the UB (affiliated center with the HUBc, the health campus of excellence) and Alumni UB.