Land and Food Systems, Faculty of
DSpace
University of British Columbia. Food Services
University of British Columbia. Campus and Community Planning
Azzam, Ayman
Khodavandi, Alireza
Tsang, Noah
Rasti, Leila
Wang, Junyi
Food waste is an ongoing global issue that results in irreversible consequences, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that disrupt climates across the globe. As a recognized global leader in sustainability, the University of British Columbia (UBC) has the opportunity to set a standard for universities across the world through its exemplary practices (UBC Sustainability, 2021). Considering this, the university has recognized the significant contribution of food systems, generating over 21% of total campus GHG emissions (UBC Sustainability, 2022b). Specifically, emphasis has been placed on addressing food waste generated by the campus food system as an important contributor of GHG emissions (UBC Sustainability, 2016). By understanding the drivers of food waste, UBC can inform their plans, policies and practices that are working toward achieving its intended 50% GHG emissions reduction of food systems by 2030 (UBC Sustainability, 2022b). These learnings can also contribute to the global targets set by the IPCC and the Paris Agreement, both identifying the reduction of food waste as an integral step in reaching net zero emissions on campus (UBC Sustainability, 2021). By establishing a fundamental understanding of first-year residents' food preferences, the University of British Columbia Food Services (UBCFS) can revise their menu selections to align more closely with climate-friendly practices, while ensuring student consumption preferences are met. Additionally, a change to a more sustainable menu can potentially inspire students to adopt more climate-friendly dietary habits. Moreover, exploring potential factors influencing students' food plate waste, including portion sizes, flavors, convenience, or location, can provide valuable insights for implementing practical innovations. This can benefit not only the overall student dining experience but also support the campus in achieving its targets. Our methodology includes a mixed-methods approach, utilizing both quantitative data from our online surveys, and qualitative data from our in-person booths. The online survey was disseminated to residents of Orchard Commons through the help of UBCFS associates, and was promoted by our in-person booth. The in-person booths served as a means to enhance the results we obtained from our online survey, providing understanding of students’ experience with food plate waste at the Open Kitchen (OK) dining hall. With this strategy, our team was able to evaluate the influence of the UBC Residence All Access Dining (AAD) Plan on the food preferences of first-year students, and help narrow the causes of food waste generated at Open Kitchen. Furthermore, a comprehensive literature review was conducted in order to summarize existing knowledge and take into account sensitivities, such as those that may influence individuals with eating disorders while designing surveys and conducting focus groups. Community-Based action research (CBAR) is the guiding framework with which our research was conducted. CBAR’s fundamental aim is to promote research and solutions that benefit the community in ways that can foster equity, collaboration, and encourage social change and justice (Gullion & Tilton , 2020). With this in mind, our research’s primary aim is to provide knowledge that can be used to inform and support future sustainable practices at UBC and beyond. This project engages stakeholders at all levels, ensuring all have the opportunity to be co-creators of knowledge and have a stake in this process of learning. In this way, proposed interventions formed through joint creation and consultation ensure that solutions are realistic, sensitive to a multitude of perspectives, and align with dining operations and student preferences. Following the facilitation of our research methodologies, we developed two main deliverables: a data analysis of student food preferences and the primary drivers contributing to food waste at Open Kitchen, and recommendations for action that aim to minimize food plate waste and encourage climate-friendly eating habits among the Orchard Commons community. The findings of our research can support direct efforts to help lower GHGs emissions from dining hall-related food consumption on UBC’s Vancouver campus. Understanding the variables that affect food waste and student dietary preferences will help UBC put solutions into place to meet its climate action objectives and act as a role model for other academic institutions looking to minimize their environmental footprint. The results of this study are anticipated to have contributed to the broader understanding of sustainable food systems and to larger societal initiatives aimed at reducing climate change and promoting environmental sustainability. Disclaimer: “UBC SEEDS provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Coordinator about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report.”
Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG EmissionsPractitioner’s Summary1Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG EmissionsExecutive SummaryFood waste is an ongoing global issue that results in irreversible consequences, including greenhousegas (GHG) emissions that disrupt climates across the globe. As a recognized global leader in sustainability, theUniversity of British Columbia (UBC) has the opportunity to set a standard for universities across the worldthrough its exemplary practices (UBC Sustainability, 2021). Considering this, the university has recognized thesignificant contribution of food systems, generating over 21% of total campus GHG emissions (UBCSustainability, 2022b). Specifically, emphasis has been placed on addressing food waste generated by thecampus food system as an important contributor of GHG emissions (UBC Sustainability, 2016). Byunderstanding the drivers of food waste, UBC can inform their plans, policies and practices that are workingtoward achieving its intended 50% GHG emissions reduction of food systems by 2030 (UBC Sustainability,2022b). These learnings can also contribute to the global targets set by the IPCC and the Paris Agreement, bothidentifying the reduction of food waste as an integral step in reaching net zero emissions on campus (UBCSustainability, 2021).By establishing a fundamental understanding of first-year residents' food preferences, the University ofBritish Columbia Food Services (UBCFS) can revise their menu selections to align more closely withclimate-friendly practices, while ensuring student consumption preferences are met. Additionally, a change to amore sustainable menu can potentially inspire students to adopt more climate-friendly dietary habits. Moreover,exploring potential factors influencing students' food plate waste, including portion sizes, flavors, convenience,or location, can provide valuable insights for implementing practical innovations. This can benefit not only theoverall student dining experience but also support the campus in achieving its targets.Our methodology includes a mixed-methods approach, utilizing both quantitative data from our onlinesurveys, and qualitative data from our in-person booths. The online survey was disseminated to residents ofOrchard Commons through the help of UBCFS associates, and was promoted by our in-person booth. Thein-person booths served as a means to enhance the results we obtained from our online survey, providingunderstanding of students’ experience with food plate waste at the Open Kitchen (OK) dining hall. With thisstrategy, our team was able to evaluate the influence of the UBC Residence All Access Dining (AAD) Plan onthe food preferences of first-year students, and help narrow the causes of food waste generated at Open Kitchen.Furthermore, a comprehensive literature review was conducted in order to summarize existing knowledge andtake into account sensitivities, such as those that may influence individuals with eating disorders whiledesigning surveys and conducting focus groups.Community-Based action research (CBAR) is the guiding framework with which our research wasconducted. CBAR’s fundamental aim is to promote research and solutions that benefit the community in waysthat can foster equity, collaboration, and encourage social change and justice (Gullion & Tilton , 2020). Withthis in mind, our research’s primary aim is to provide knowledge that can be used to inform and support futuresustainable practices at UBC and beyond. This project engages stakeholders at all levels, ensuring all have theopportunity to be co-creators of knowledge and have a stake in this process of learning. In this way, proposedinterventions formed through joint creation and consultation ensure that solutions are realistic, sensitive to amultitude of perspectives, and align with dining operations and student preferences.Following the facilitation of our research methodologies, we developed two main deliverables: a dataanalysis of student food preferences and the primary drivers contributing to food waste at Open Kitchen, andrecommendations for action that aim to minimize food plate waste and encourage climate-friendly eating habitsamong the Orchard Commons community. The findings of our research can support direct efforts to help lowerGHGs emissions from dining hall-related food consumption on UBC’s Vancouver campus. Understanding thevariables that affect food waste and student dietary preferences will help UBC put solutions into place to meetits climate action objectives and act as a role model for other academic institutions looking to minimize theirenvironmental footprint. The results of this study are anticipated to have contributed to the broaderunderstanding of sustainable food systems and to larger societal initiatives aimed at reducing climate changeand promoting environmental sustainability.2Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG EmissionsTable of ContentsPractitioner’s Summary 1Executive Summary 2Table of Contents 3List of Figures & Tables 4List of Abbreviations 41. Introduction 51.1 Research Topic 51.2 Research Relevance 51.2.1 Societal Issues 51.2.2 UBC Sustainability Issues, Policies, and Practices 61.2.3 Community Benefits 71.3 Project Context 81.4 Research Purpose, Goals and Objectives 92. Research Methodology & Methods 92.1 Research Methodology 92.2 Research Methods 102.2.1 Secondary Data Collection 102.2.2 Primary Data Collection 112.3 Methods of Administration 123. Results 133.1.1 Literature Review 133.1.2 Online Survey Results 133.1.3 In-Person Booth Interview Results 194. Discussion 244.1 Key Contributors to Food Waste at Open Kitchen 244.2 Student Preferences 254.3 Gap between Students’ Willingness and Action to Reduce Food Waste 254.4 Diet Type vs. Food Preferences 264.5 Time Spent Eating vs. Leftover Food 264.6 Research Limitations 265.1 Recommendations for Action 275.1.1 Short Term Recommendations 275.1.2 Long Term Recommendations 295.2 Recommendations for Future Research 305.2.1 Long Term Recommendations 306. Conclusion 317. References 338. Appendix 373Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG EmissionsList of Figures & TablesFigure 1: Poster used to motivate students to contribute to food waste reduction 1Figure 2: Breakdown of participant ethnic background 14Figure 3: Breakdown of participants cuisine preferences 15Figure 4: Breakdown of participants dietary restrictions or dietary preferences 15Figure 5: Most visited station at Open Kitchen 16Figure 6: Sometimes visited station at Open Kitchen 17Figure 7: Least visited station at Open Kitchen 17Figure 8: Breakdown of students perspectives on food waste 18Figure 9: Participant Engagement in Reducing Food Waste 19Figure 10. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away ? 20Figure 11. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food? 20Figure 12. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit ? 21Figure 13. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day week-to-week? 22Figure 14. How aware are you about food waste / what aspects of it concern you? 22Figure 15. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining? 23Figure 16. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so? 24Table 1: Examining current research on post-secondary dining hall food waste 13Table 2: Promising practices to guide our recommendations and future research 13List of AbbreviationsCAP 2030: Climate Action Plan 2030CBAR: Community-Based Action ResearchGHG: Greenhouse GasSEEDS: Social Ecological Economic Development StudiesUBC: The University of British ColumbiaUBCFS: University of British Columbia Food Services4Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissions1. Introduction1.1 Research TopicUBC has been contributing to GHG emissions through food waste from all access dinnings. Byunderstanding food waste drivers and food preferences among the 1st year student residents enrolled in thisdining plan, we aim to address this issue. Through this understanding, potential solutions will be innovated thatcan be of use for UBC’s food services.1.2 Research Relevance1.2.1 Societal IssuesGreenhouse gases (GHGs) play a significant role in driving climate change, and their impact on Earthis becoming increasingly evident in the world today. (IPCC, 2023). In order to minimize these environmentalconsequences, solutions have been put in place in order to reduce GHG emissions, notably waste management(Crippa et al., 2021; Manfredi et al., 2019). Waste management plays a critical role in GHG emissions; forinstance, organic waste disposed of in landfills produces potent levels of methane (Manfredi et al., 2019). In2020, organic waste emitted 1.51 billion tons of methane which accounts for roughly 19% of the globalmethane emission. (Climate Watch, 2023) Moreover, the global warming potential of methane is 28 timeshigher than carbon dioxide (USEPA, 2023); even though methane only accounts for 20% of total GHGemissions (Jones et al., 2023). The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) suggests that the adoptionof sustainable waste management practices have significant potential to reduce global GHG emissions, withestimates projecting a reduction of 15 to 20% (Bogner et al., 2008). Considering the challenges that climatechange poses to current consumption patterns and waste management practices, it is important to adoptproactive measures to address these issues (Bogner et al., 2008). Failure to do so may worsen the situation andlead to further catastrophe (Bogner et al., 2008). Therefore, sustainable waste management practices such asreducing food waste, recycling single-use items, and composting organic waste are key components of ourefforts to mitigate climate change impacts (Bogner et al., 2008). Another major factor in GHG emissions isdietary choices. Dietary patterns strongly influence GHG emissions since carbon footprints vary greatly5Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissionsbetween different types of food (Ritchie, 2024). For example, producing one kilogram of beef would cause aGHG emission equivalent to 100 kilograms of carbon dioxide whereas producing one kilogram of rottedvegetable only causes a carbon dioxide emission of 0.4 kilogram (Ritchie, 2024). Research in Spain shows thatadopting certain dietary patterns can reduce regional GHG emission in the agriculture sector by 11%-17%(Batlle-Bayer, L., et al., 2019). Similar research in North America found that vegetarian diets emit 29% lessGHG emissions than non-vegetarian diets (Soret, S., et al., 2014). Since agriculture accounts for around 12% ofglobal GHG emission, this illustrates that a shift in dietary pattern greatly impacts GHG emission (Ritchie,2024a). Moreover, individuals who follow dietary recommendations are more efficient at managing foodthrough planning, avoiding excess purchases, and utilizing leftovers, which ultimately minimizes food waste(Grant, F. & Rossi, L., 2022). This illustrates the importance of dietary education in promoting healthier,sustainable eating habits (Grant, F., & Rossi, L., 2022). In conclusion, shifting dietary choices to reduce wastein general plays an immense role in reducing large-scale GHG emissions.1.2.2 UBC Sustainability Issues, Policies, and PracticesAs a global leader in sustainability research, UBC is going above and beyond most universities in theworld to harness and mobilize its full powers to build a sustainable campus food system. Yet, the UBC foodsystem still has various issues despite their efforts. On one hand, around 40% of students in the campus arecurrently experiencing food insecurity (Rideout & James, 2019). On the other hand, UBC generatedapproximately 615 tonnes of food waste in 2022 (UBC sustainability, 2022a). The outcomes of this researchproject have the potential to contribute towards a number of university plans and policies that aim to resolvethese issues. For instance, our research has the potential to be a big step in achieving the targets in the UBCVancouver Climate Action Plan 2030. One target in the UBC Vancouver Climate Action Plan 2030 is to reduceGHG emission by 85% (UBC Vancouver, 2021). Our research directly contributes to this goal by identifyingpotential solutions to reduce food wastes across UBC dining halls which are the major contributors for methaneemission (Wang et al., 2018). Our research also contributes to the UBC Climate Emergency Action by raisingpublic awareness about the impact of dietary consumption on climate issues (UBC climate emergency response,2023). Moreover, our research plays a critical role in addressing persistent food insecurity across campus. The6Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissionsgoals of this research are in line with UBC’s food security initiatives which aim to build a campus where “allcommunity members can obtain adequate, accessible, nutritionally, and culturally appropriate food in a just andecologically sound manner.” (FSI, 2023). This research also contributes to UBC Vancouver Student Housing &Community Services 5-Year Plan, which provides a strategic framework and goals for improving theuniversity's food services. In this plan, there is an expressed ambition for the residence dining hall to serve as amodel that other Canadian universities can follow, as well as providing meals that are of exceptional qualityand value (UBC Vancouver Student Housing & Community Services 5–Year Plan, 2023). Further, our findingshave the potential to address various avenues of food waste that stem from the residence dining halls, which canhelp inform some of the goals and strategies outlined in the UBC Zero Waste Action Plan 2030. Lastly, ourresearch contributes to the university’s Inclusion Action Plan. Part of the effort for UBC to build an inclusivecommunity is to “develop, consult on, and implement guidelines for decision-making that incorporate equity,diversity, and inclusion principle” (Szeri et al., 2022). Our research contributes to this goal by providing allstudents an equal chance to influence UBC dining hall policies.1.2.3 Community BenefitsOn a community level, our research will enhance dining experience across all dining halls in UBC. Asa community that cherishes its diverse background, providing culturally-accepted food has always been theprimary goal for UBCFS. Despite its efforts, 37% of UBC students currently enrolled in UBC Vancouvercampus are having challenges accessing safe, adequate, and personally-accepted food (Carry, Thistle, &Buszard, 2019). Providing culturally-accepted food not only protects the physical, mental, emotional, spiritualand social well-being of our community members, but also retains the connections which students have towardstheir original culture and traditions. Our research will gather data on the dietary preferences of UBC studentsfrom various backgrounds. Results of this research will help UBCFS design a culturally-accepted menu for allstudents. Moreover, our research will help identify factors contributing to food plate waste generated by UBCdining halls and devise strategies to address these drivers. In 2019, UBC generated approximately 615 tonnes offood waste despite continuous effort in reducing food waste across campus (UBC Sustainability, 2022a). Ourresearch will identify important causes for food waste in dining halls which can help the community design7Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissionsstrategies in reducing food waste and ultimately contribute to UBC’s Zero Waste Action Plan by 2030. Lastly,our research will also provide students with the opportunity to directly influence university policies. Studentfeedback from this research will be used to identify key areas of improvement for UBC dining halls, such asdiversifying the menu options. These results can help UBC improve its dining experience for students.1.3 Project ContextAs highlighted in the UBC Vancouver Climate Action Plan 2030, UBC is making concerted efforts toachieve net zero campus emissions, as well as substantially reduce emissions by the year 2030. Food systemsclaim the second-highest spot in the extended impact emissions category, following just behind transportation(UBC Campus + Community Planning, 2023). The anticipated target goal is to achieve a 50% reduction inGHG emissions from food systems. This is rationalized by the significant implications food systems raise forclimate change as they are estimated to contribute 21-50% of global GHG emissions (UBC Vancouver ClimateAction Plan 2030). Hence, UBC CAP 2030 has emphasized the need for a revised Zero Waste Action Plan,urging the prioritization of campus emissions reduction and promoting opportunities that contribute to a circulareconomy. (UBC Zero Waste Action Plan 2023).Outlined under the UBC Zero Waste Plan, food waste is one of the greatest generators of total waste oncampus. Therefore, the reduction of food waste is a key step in mitigating GHG emissions and reaching theuniversities goal of net zero emissions by the year 2030. One of the goals described in this plan indicates theneed to develop a Food Waste Prevention, Reduction and Recovery Strategy for campus vendors and services.Furthermore, the plan underscores the importance of incorporating various food waste measurement tools.These tools can serve to inform and guide strategies for reducing food waste within campus food systems,specifically the first year residence-mandatory AAD plan. AAD gives the students the opportunity to fill theirplates as many times as they like; this newly implemented model of September 2022 has not been implementedfor long enough to evaluate whether it has significantly impacted dining residence food waste levels.Furthermore, this study aims to dive deeper into whether the concept of AAD is the primary food waste driver.By understanding student residents’ food preferences, this can clarify in accordance with this study’s contextwhether there is room for sustainable AAD modifications.8Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissions1.4 Research Purpose, Goals and ObjectivesPurpose: The purpose of our project is to develop a comprehensive understanding of students’ food plate wasteand food preferences. The development of this understanding can ultimately contribute to reducing GHGemissions that are resulting from campus food waste and consumption at UBC.Goals: To enhance our main purpose of understanding student food waste and preferences, the goals that mustbe achieved are: (1) Create specific understanding of Orchards Commons residents’ food preferences at OpenKitchen (OK) dining hall, (2) Evaluate student perceptions on the food waste created by the All Access Dining(AAD) model and the contributing factors, (3) Develop strategies that encourage students to adapt sustainableeating habits, (4) Identify potential actions to be implemented by UBCFS to reduce food waste while fulfillingstudent food preferencesObjectives: To satisfy the goal of this research project, individual objectives must be met: (1) Gain afoundational understanding on how UBC’s AAD Plan may have impacted student dietary habits through theadministration of an online survey and in-person focus groups, (2) Investigate the potential factors contributingto individual food plate waste (portion sizes, menu options, convenience, and other relevant factors) based onstudent responses to our survey and focus groups, (3) Develop recommendations for further research based ondata obtained from our research, and inform future actions that aim to decrease food waste that contribute toGHG emissions associated with food consumption, and (3) consult key stakeholders (i.e. UBCFS) on theirperspective toward food preferences in order to develop realistic solutions that aim to reduce food waste.2. Research Methodology & Methods2.1 Research MethodologyOur project’s research process was guided by the principles and framework of Community-Basedaction research (CBAR) to ensure that our research design was consulted on and approved by our keystakeholders, such as UBCFS. Community-based action research (CBAR) is a research approach that involvescommunities in the research process, allowing them to take a leading and active role in addressing issues thatimpact them directly (Gullion & Tilton, 2020). The research process involves the community at every stage,9Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissionsfrom planning to carrying out and implementing the results. By encouraging a cooperative learningenvironment for researchers and community participants, CBAR seeks to advance equity. The ultimateobjective is to produce information and workable solutions for the community's benefit, which can spur socialchange and advance social justice.We applied CBAR by involving pertinent stakeholders of the UBC community––students, faculty, andstaff—in all phases of the research process. We conducted surveys and in-person interviews to obtain diverseperspectives and input from our target demographic. This was important to ensure that the solutions we proposeare relevant and helpful to those voiced by this particular population. Moreover, we engaged with UBCFSculinary experts from the Open Kitchen residence dining hall to gain valuable insights into how UBCFSoperations align with the broader UBC goals aimed at reducing food waste on campus. Furthermore, we soughtguidance from members of the UBCFS management team to discuss strategies they have implemented tomitigate food waste in the dining hall and explored potential actions forward based on their expertise. In thisregard, we were able to gain a variety of perspectives from several stakeholders, and devise strategies based onall the input we received. This approach aims to ensure that all outcomes are inclusive, feasible and beneficial.Ultimately, our project supports UBC’s sustainability and climate action goals by highlighting the scalabilityand sustainability of effective waste reduction measures and pushing for their wider adoption both within andoutside of UBC.2.2 Research MethodsOur research employed a mixed methods approach, conducting both primary data collection andsecondary data collection. The primary methods included structured interviews held at a booth outside of theOpen Kitchen, as well as an online survey distributed via Qualtrics. The secondary methods includedconducting a literature review to ensure that our primary data collection was carried out in a well-informedmanner. These methods are described below in more detail.2.2.1 Secondary Data CollectionLiterature Review10Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG EmissionsA preliminary literature review was conducted to guide our primary research study to ensure that itwas carried out in a well-informed manner. The literature review covered three main objectives: examiningcurrent research on post-secondary dining hall food waste, identifying promising practices to inform ourrecommendations for future action and research, and exploring strategies for creating surveys that areconsiderate of diverse lived experiences. Search queries included entering keywords such as “Dining Hall FoodWaste”, “Inclusive Survey Design”, and “Inclusive Focus Group Design”, into search engines such as the UBCLibrary and Google Scholar. Additionally, our client provided us with past surveys sent out by UBCFS toobtain student experiences and satisfaction with residence dining halls. This helped in the creation of theframework for the survey we sent out in our primary data collection.2.2.2 Primary Data CollectionOur primary research consists of two main methodological tools: 1) an online survey and 2) in-personinterviews.Online SurveyThe objective of the online survey was to capture basic demographic information regarding our targetpopulation, as well as obtain short-answer responses to questions regarding food waste at the Open Kitchendining hall. To encourage maximum response rates, printed copies of QR codes to the survey were distributedacross Orchard Commons. Moreover, posters were displayed across the dining hall to promote the survey, aswell as engage individuals in discourse around food waste. Our online survey was able to reach 153 responseswith 93 being valid, with an initial target of 100 participants.In-Person Booth InterviewsThe aim of the in-person booth interviews was to enhance the results obtained through the onlinesurvey. The interviews were conducted using a series of previously curated questions that sought to obtain morein-depth answers regarding student’s food preferences, motivations for food waste, and overall experiences atOpen Kitchen. The booth was situated right outside of Open Kitchen; our client provided support and guidance11Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissionson optimal location and design for our set up. Our target sample was first-year residents dining at the OpenKitchen, particularly those enrolled in the residence-mandatory AAD Plan. This approach ensures that our datawill be representative of the population most impacted by our research objectives. We were able to surpass ourtarget sample size of 15 for our in-person booth interviews by 5, giving us an achieved sample size of 20participants.2.3 Methods of AdministrationOnline SurveyWe coordinated with the management team at Open Kitchen to distribute the online survey in lateFebruary to all first-year students enrolled in the AAD.In-Person Booth InterviewsPrior to conducting our interviews at the Open Kitchen, our team contacted management at OpenKitchen to arrange a time where we could display our printed posters around the dining hall. We displayed ourposters a few days prior to encourage engagement and awareness around our survey and booth. Following this,the team scheduled two windows to conduct our interviews: one during the lunchtime rush, as well as anotherfollowing a few hours after. After setting up our booth outside of the Open Kitchen, a few team members stoodaround the booth to actively engage and recruit participants. Each student passing by the booth was asked ifthey were interested in participating, followed by a few questions confirming whether they were a first yearstudent enrolled in the AAD. Those that chose not to participate in the interview were given a printed QR codethat directed them to the online survey. Students that chose to participate provided informed consent to thecollection of their responses for the purpose of this study, while ensuring confidentiality and anonymity. Prior totranscription of their responses, they were given the option of having their voice recorded, or simply transcribedby a team member during the interview. Following the interview, participants who were willing were asked toprovide their contact information to enable UBCFS to reach them in the event that they were selected for theincentive draw associated with participating in the interview.12Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissions3. Results3.1.1 Literature ReviewTable 1: Examining current research on post-secondary dining hall food wasteCurrent research on post-secondary dining hall food waste ReferencesHow Food Becomes Waste: Students as “Carriers of Practice” inthe UC Davis Dining Commons.(Yui & Biltekoff, 2021)Food waste generation and potential interventions at RhodesUniversity, South Africa.(Painter, et al. 2016)Food Choice and Waste in University Dining Commons—AMenus of Change University Research Collaborative Study.(Wiriyaphanich et al., 2021)Toward food waste reduction at universities. (Filho et al., 2023)Table 2: Promising practices to guide our recommendations and future researchPromising Practices ReferencesFrom evaluation to action: Testing nudging strategies to preventfood waste in school canteens.(Vidal-Mones et al., 2022)The opportunity of tracking food waste in school canteens:Guidelines for self-assessment.(Derqui & Fernandez, 2017)A simple awareness campaign to promote food waste reduction ina University canteen.(Pinto et al., 2018)Closing the loop on Canada's National Food Policy: A food wasteagenda.(Soma, 2018)3.1.2 Online Survey ResultsThe online survey received a total of 153 responses. Incomplete responses were excluded during dataanalysis which results in 93 valid responses.13Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG EmissionsEthnic BackgroundFigure 2: Breakdown of participant ethnic backgroundThe majority of first-year students who complete the survey are Asian, accounting for 50% of theresponses. This is followed by Caucasian (20%), Mixed Ethnicity (9%), Black (5%), Latinx (4%), MiddleEastern (3%), and Indigenous (1%). 3% of participants did not choose to answer this question and 3% of theparticipants chose “other”.Student Cuisine Preferences14Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG EmissionsFigure 3: Breakdown of participants cuisine preferencesStudent food preference shows a similar trend to ethnicity. Asian cuisine is preferred by the majority ofstudents; (55%) this is likely a result of having a higher portion of Asian students in the survey. This is followedby American/Canadian cuisine, (13%) Latin American cuisine, (11%) European cuisine, (9%) Mediterraneancuisine, (4%) Middle Eastern cuisine, (3%) and African cuisine. (1%)Dietary Restrictions/ Dietary PreferencesFigure 4: Breakdown of participants dietary restrictions or dietary preferencesOut of 93 valid responses, 49 participants (53%) do not have dietary restriction; 21% follow ameat-based diet. There are also 4 participants who are pescatarians and 4 participants who are flexitarians. Incontrast, only 13% of the participants are vegetarian or vegan.In the online survey, participants were given the opportunity to rank the 11 food stations in the Open Kitchen.(1 being the most preferred, 11 being the least preferred) These rankings are then used to generate the set ofhistograms above. Based on the histograms, the 11 stations have been divided into 3 categories: most visited,sometimes visited, and least visited.15Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG EmissionsMost Visited Stations at Open KitchenFigure 5: Most visited station at Open Kitchenx-axis description: Student ranking (1 indicates most favorite, 11 indicates least favorite)y-axis description: Number of students in each categoryAs Figure 5 depicts, 58 students strongly prefer the Al Forno Kitchen which shows its popularity.Moreover 46 students strongly prefer the Square Kitchen, 39 students strongly prefer the Global Bowl Kitchen,and 37 students strongly prefer the Custom Kitchen demonstrating the popularity of Square, Global bowl, andCustom Kitchen respectively.16Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG EmissionsFigure 6: Sometimes visited station at Open Kitchenx-axis description : Student ranking (1 indicates most favorite, 11 indicates least favorite)y-axis description : Number of students in each categoryAs figure 6 depicts, student preferences on the Flex, Grill and Vegetarian Kitchen are evenly spreadout. 81 students put Flex station as neither their most preferred nor their least preferred stations and 64 studentsput Grill Kitchen as neither their most preferred nor their least preferred stations. Student preference on theVegetarian station is high variable with 44 students putting the Vegetarian station as their most preferred and 23as their least preferred.Figure 7: Least visited station at Open Kitchen17Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissionsx-axis description : Student ranking (1 indicates most favorite, 11 indicates least favorite)y-axis description : Number of students in each categoryAs Figure 7 depicts, 37 students disliked the salad bar, 24 students strongly disliked the Sandwichstation, and 32 students disliked the hot side bar. Noticeably, 68 students placed the Soup bar as their leastfavorite station which demonstrates a strong dislike towards this particular station.The most visited stations include the Custom Kitchen, the Square Kitchen, the Global Bowl Kitchen, and the AlForno Kitchen. The sometimes visited stations include the Flex Station, the Grill Kitchen, and the VegetarianKitchen. The least visited stations include the Sandwich Kitchen, the Soup Bar, the Hot Side Bar, and the SaladBar.Students Perspectives on Food WasteFigure 8: Breakdown of students perspectives on food waste18Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG EmissionsMost students (74%) who participate in the survey consider food waste a major social issue. 22% ofparticipants consider it a minor social issue and 4% do not consider food waste an issue.Student Engagement in Reducing Food WasteFigure 9: Participant Engagement in Reducing Food WasteOnly 18% of the participants are actively engaged in reducing their food waste; the majority ofparticipants (41%) are only slightly engaged in reducing food waste. 27% of the participants are moderatelyengaged and 14% are not very engaged in reducing food waste.3.1.3 In-Person Booth Interview ResultsAs per the methodology, qualitative data was gathered from in-person booths to complement the resultsobtained from the online survey. A total of 20 first-year residents were interviewed and their responses wererecorded. To create a comprehensive report, the qualitative data was converted into quantitative data. This wasachieved by categorizing the student responses into different subcategories. The results illustrate the 6 questions19Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissionsthat students were asked during the interviews. The anecdotes provide a description of how each subcategorywas defined.Frequency of Leftover FoodFigure 10. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away ?Based on Figure 8, when students were asked how often they have leftover food on their plate that theyhave to throw away, 15 out of 20 students (75%) reported that they never have to throw away food. 3 out of 20students (15%) indicated that they sometimes end up with leftover food, while 2 out of 20 students (10%)answered that most of the time or all the time they have food to discard.. This suggests that while the vastmajority of students typically finish their meals, there is still a portion who occasionally or frequently have foodwaste.20Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG EmissionsBarriers to Finishing FoodFigure 11. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing yourfood?According to Figure 9, when students were asked about the biggest barrier they face to finish theirmeal, 14 out of 20 students (70%) mentioned that food quality is the major barrier. They specifically indicatedabout some of the meats being raw. The second biggest barrier, confirmed by 4 out of 20 students (20%), wasdetermined to be the portion size. These 4 students mentioned that the portion size is too small. Lastly, 2 our 20students (10%) stated that limited time was the reason they throw away food.Time Spent at Open Kitchen21Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG EmissionsFigure 12. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit ?According to Figure 10, when 20 students were interviewed about the amount of time they spend at thedining hall during each visit, a significant majority of 16 students (80%) reported spending less than an hour.Meanwhile, 3 students (15%) indicated that they spend exactly one hour per visit. Only 1 student out of the 20surveyed (5%) mentioned spending more than an hour at the dining hall. This distribution suggests that moststudents prefer shorter dining experiences.Exploring Food Preferences Over TimeFigure 13. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day /week-to-week?Based on Figure 11, when 20 students were asked about their food preferences and tastes, the resultsshowed that the majority of them, 16 out of 20 interviewed students (80%), indicated that their food preferencesremain consistent from day-to-day and week-to-week. In contrast, 4 out of 20 survey students (20%) reportedthat their food preferences and tastes vary over time. Therefore, it can be inferred that while a significantportion of students stick to their favored choices, there is a smaller group that seeks variety in their meals.22Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG EmissionsAwareness of Food WasteFigure 14. How aware are you about food waste / what aspects of it concern you?According to Figure 12, when asked about their knowledge of food waste and the concerns related to it,a vast majority of the participants, which included 17 out of 20 students (85%), responded that they were awareof the issue of food waste. On the other hand, 3 out of 20 students (15%) stated that they were not aware of theissues related to food waste. This data indicates a high level of awareness among most students surveyedregarding food waste.Improving Experience at Open Kitchen23Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG EmissionsFigure 15. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining?According to Figure 13, the interview was conducted among 20 students to know their views abouthow their experience in residence dining could be improved. Out of 20 students, 12 students (60%) suggestedthat having more food options would enhance their dining experience, while 8 students (40%) identifiedcrowding issues as a significant factor that, if improved, would positively impact their experience. This meansthat the majority of students would like to have a wider variety of meals, while a significant minority believesthat reducing overcrowding is crucial for a better dining environment.Willingness to Take Leftovers HomeFigure 16. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?According to figure 14, the majority of students interviewed, 18 out of 20 (90%), expressed theirwillingness to take leftovers back home if given the option. Meanwhile, 1 out of 20 students (5%) stated thatthey would sometimes be willing to take leftovers home, and another 1 out of 20 (5%) said they would not bewilling to do so. This suggests that most students are open to the idea of taking leftovers home, potentiallyreducing food waste.24Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissions4. Discussion4.1 Key Contributors to Food Waste at Open KitchenThe results of our survey highlight important findings as they relate to food waste at Open Kitchen.Restating from our survey results, the two primary barriers to finishing food are food quality and portion size:70% cited food quality as being a main barrier to food waste, while 20% reported portion sizes being too largeand contributing to not finishing their plates. This suggests that quality control measures to 1) increase theperceived quality of food served to students and 2) eliminate or address less-frequented menu items and/or foodstations, as well as offering more flexibility in food portion offerings, may be effective in reducing food platewaste.4.2 Student PreferencesThe majority of survey participants are Asian (50%), and this number correlates strongly to the 55% ofstudents who ranked Asian cuisine as their most preferred. On the contrary, only 9% of the participants preferEuropean cuisine, yet European dishes account for approximately 40% of the menu offered at Open Kitchen.This suggests that Open Kitchen’s menu may not accurately align with the cuisine preferences of students.Another interesting finding was that preferences varied strongly when it came to ranking the 11 stations ofOpen Kitchen. Soup bar, for instance, was unanimously the least visited station with over 80% of participantsranking the soup bar among their top 3 least visited stations. Consequently, the soup bar and other less visitedfood stations should be the primary focuses of future research and operational re-evaluations. Improving thequality and/or selection at these stations may greatly enhance the overall dining experience for students at OpenKitchen, and moreover, help reduce food waste.4.3 Gap between Students’ Willingness and Action to Reduce Food WasteAnother key observation is that there is a definitive gap between students’ willingness to engage andstudents’ actions as they relate to food waste reduction. Most students (74%) stated that they consider foodwaste to be a major societal issue, but only a small portion of students (18%) reported being very engaged in25Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissionsreducing food waste. It is likely that many of these students who reported they had a good awareness of foodwaste simply do not have the sufficient motivation or habits in place to change their behavior. Future researchmay focus on finding ways to bridge the dissonance between student awareness and student action. Our teamreached out to the culinary team at Open Kitchen for their perspective on the situation, and a key idea that cameout of our discussions was the implementation of measures to increase the monitoring of students. One idea putforth by the culinary team was to set up a screen next to the compost bins, which would give a live count of thatday’s food waste in kilograms. In general, measures and campaigns similar to this example that work toincrease students’ engagement and/or motivations around food waste reduction could be very useful.Although the majority of students are aware of food waste, it is important to mention that 15% ofstudents expressed that they are not very confident or lack awareness about food waste issues. It appears thisminority falls predominantly into the category of wasting food “most of the time”. Therefore, it could bebeneficial to implement measures targeted at this particular segment of the student body that increasefoundational awareness and education about food waste. In our talks with the Open Kitchen culinary team,some ideas included more in-person booths and interactive events. According to Painter et. al. (2016),educational, informative approaches are typically the most effective in the context of reducing food waste inuniversity dining halls. This points to the efficacy of targeted educational outreach to this particular portion ofthe student population in fostering awareness and involvement in food waste reduction4.4 Diet Type vs. Food PreferencesAn interesting finding was that vegetarians and vegans did not report significantly higher levels ofawareness about food waste compared to the rest of the students surveyed. Our survey elucidated the fact thatvegetarians and vegans in this research generate as much food waste, if not more (i.e. more reported leavingleftover food on their plates) than non-vegetarian diners. 8% of vegetarians reported generating zero foodwaste, while 18% of non-vegetarians reported generating zero food waste. While plant-based diets certainlyplay an important role in reducing food waste, they are not the end-all-be-all for sustainable eating. On theother side, there is certainly a place for some meat-based meals and dishes within the scaffolding of asustainable menu at Open Kitchen.26Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissions4.5 Time Spent Eating vs. Leftover FoodAnother interesting finding was the relationship between the time spent eating and the prevalence ofleftover food. 80% of respondents reported spending less than an hour at Open Kitchen and 75% of respondentsreported sometimes having leftover food on their plates. Those 80% who spend less than an hour per visit werea part of the respondents who reported that they sometimes had leftovers. This indicates that time constraintsmay be a significant factor in students having food leftover on their plates. To address this, campaigns focusedon mindful eating or encouraging students to not feel pressured to eat large meals may help cut down ontime-related food waste.4.6 Research LimitationsIt is important to note that our research is limited in scope as the findings obtained in this projectspecifically pertain to the Open Kitchen residence dining hall. Our project initially covered all three residencedining halls; however, through consultation with our stakeholder, we decided to focus our research on OpenKitchen due to the time constraints of our project. Accordingly, our findings may not be fully representative ofexperiences across all three residence dining halls: Gather, Feast, and Open Kitchen. Secondly, due to theintrinsic nature of our research design, our survey and in-person interviews relied on self-reported data fromrespondents. That being mentioned, there were no foreseen pressures that we placed on respondents that wouldhave incentivized them to be untruthful, and we have a high degree of confidence that our responses wererobust.5. Recommendations5.1 Recommendations for ActionIn light of our findings, we have created a number of actionable steps that UBC Food Services can implementto reduce food waste and GHG emissions generated at the Open Kitchen residence dining hall. The followingsection outlines both short-term actions to be implemented by the start of the UBC Winter Session 2024, andlong-term actions to be implemented by the year following. The recommendations for action are rooted in a27Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissionsnumber of key findings from the research, and show potential for improving the state of food waste at the OpenKitchen, as well as other All-Access residence dining halls at UBC.5.1.1 Short Term RecommendationsFor UBC Food Services operating at the Open Kitchen Residence Dining Hall:1. Consider adopting the following measures to prevent food waste:1.1. Allowing students flexible portion sizesJustification: Insights shared from the student interviews conducted outside of the Open Kitchenresidence dining hall reveal that 20% of students indicated portion sizes as a barrier to finishing theirmeal. Several students were in agreement that flexibility in regards to portion size could improve theirability to finish their meal. One student shares in the anecdotes for : “I find the portion to be too little,but then when you come back for more you aren’t as hungry for the same amount of food.”,another echoing similar remarks stating: “Sometimes I am given too much food because there is nooption for portion sizes.” These anecdotes suggest that allowing students greater flexibility inchoosing their desired portion sizes can mitigate waste stemming from overconsumption. To establish amore targeted approach, UBCFS can identify which stations generate the most food waste, andestablish portion size protocol accordingly.1.2. Including more Asian soups at the Soup BarJustification: According to our online survey results, 55% of first-year students specified a preferencefor Asian cuisine. Additionally, the Soup Bar was identified as the least frequented station, with 68students indicating it as their least visited option. Therefore, we suggest offering more Asian soups atthe Soup Bar, as this will both satisfy the preferences of those students that indicated a taste for Asiancuisine, as well as enhancing resource efficiency at the Soup Bar. Ultimately, this recommendationshows promise in mitigating food waste resulting from the Soup Bar.1.3. Implementing additional quality control measuresJustification: Based on the results from the interviews conducted outside of the Open Kitchen residencedining hall, students identified food quality (70%) as the top barrier that prevents them from finishing28Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissionsthe food on their plate. Several students reported instances where they believed the food to beundercooked. One student shared an anecdote, stating: “To be honest, I find that sometimes the foodappears to be undercooked.” When asked whether they would take leftovers home or not they stated:“I would not take my food home because I usually leave it for a reason, like undercooked food.”This evidence suggests that UBCFS may benefit from taking additional quality control measures toensure that they are providing consistently high-quality meals that meet the expectation and preferencesof their student population, thereby minimizing food waste and enhancing overall dining experience.Below are several specific actions aligned with the broader recommendation of implementingadditional quality control measures.1.3.1. Implementing monthly culinary training sessionsJustification: Such quality control measures can include providing monthly staff trainingsessions, where the UBCFS team can develop and implement skill development sessions forkitchen staff that focuses on proper food handling, as well as cooking techniques and standards.Emphasis should be placed on the importance of consistency, as instances such as thosedescribed above where food may not meet the standards set by UBCFS, can ultimatelycontribute to food waste generation.1.3.2. Establishing a designated role for consistent quality checksJustification: To ensure that the food at each station is up to standards prior to plating forconsumption, we suggest the establishment of designated staff members to take on the role ofmonitoring food quality at various stages of the production process. This individual plays acrucial role in ensuring that the food prepared for service meets the standards set by UBCFS,while also serving as an extra layer of inspection to verify the quality of the food.1.3.3 Establishing a consumer feedback channelJustification: While the students we interviewed shared valuable insights into the barriersrelated to their plate waste, it is equally important to have the ability to communicate thisinformation with the staff that is responsible for meal preparation. Therefore, we propose thatUBCFS develops an accessible channel that allows students to provide feedback regarding29Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissionsspecific stations and particular meals served that day. This encourages students to provideconstructive feedback through suggestion boxes, online surveys, regular feedback sessions, aswell as allowing the food service team to proactively identify areas that require immediateattention and improvement. For example, multiple students shared that specific stations oftenput too much sauce on the food, making it difficult to finish their meal. Thus, receivingconsistent feedback everyday could enable staff to make the necessary refinements to service,ultimately tackling minor factors that influence consumer food waste.5.1.2 Long Term RecommendationsFor UBC Student Housing and Community Services:1. Consider implementing the following measures to improve awareness around food waste1.1 Incorporating discourse around food waste during orientation week for first-year residentsenrolled in the AADJustification: Our findings reveal that only 18% of students feel that they are actively engaged inreducing food waste, whereas 41% of students only feel slightly engaged. Moreover, a notable 15% ofstudents report that they are not very aware of food waste issues. These findings justify that there's asignificant portion of students who either feel minimally engaged in reducing food waste or lackawareness of the issue altogether. As discussed in the analysis, this highlights the potential efficacy ofeducational initiatives to help address the issue of food waste. Thus, we propose that UBC StudentHousing consider developing dialogue around mindfulness of waste behaviours and navigating theAAD framework of their residence dining dall. This can be incorporated into the orientation weekwhen students first become acquainted with their dining hall, and have the opportunity to establishmindful habits at the beginning of the year. Another approach to include conversation around foodwaste habits could involve organizing workshops aimed at engaging students in practical strategies tominimize their food waste, while also educating them on the subject.30Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissions5.2 Recommendations for Future ResearchBased on the scope and time constraints of our research project, we propose a few recommendations for futureresearch that we believe will enhance some of the findings from our results as well as some of the goals,objectives and purposes of this project.5.2.1 Long Term Recommendations1. Consider exploring the following to obtain a more complete understanding of food waste driversand student food preferences:1.1 Exploring more specific aspects of student food preferencesJustification: The purpose of this project was to develop a comprehensive understanding of students’food plate waste and food preferences that can ultimately contribute to reducing GHG emissions thatare resulting from campus food waste and consumption at UBC. While we were able to develop abaseline understanding of student food preferences at the Open Kitchen dining hall, the time constraintsof our project limited our ability to delve deeper into specific aspects such as preferred flavours,temperatures and ingredients that influence food choices.1.2 Replicating this study at the other two residence dining halls at UBC: Gather and FeastJustification: We recognize that the scope of our study was limited to the Open Kitchen residencedining hall, and relied on self-reported data. As a result, our findings may not be fully representative ofall dining experiences across UBC campus. Hence, we suggest that this study be replicated across theother two residence dining halls on UBC campus, Gather and Feast. This approach would provide amore comprehensive understanding of student food preferences and behaviours, ensuring a broaderrepresentation of the university dining experiences.2. Consider researching the following to explore its influence on student food waste:2.1 Exploring the efficacy of educational tools on reducing student food wasteJustification: Drawing on established literature and promising practices for addressing food waste atuniversity canteens, educational approaches are often found to be effective in encouraging students tomitigate their food waste (Painter et al., 2016). Within the context of a university dining hall,implementing food waste awareness signage proves to be an effective strategy to combat food waste.31Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG EmissionsTherefore, we propose conducting similar research at UBC residence dining halls to investigate thepotential impact strategic signage around the cafeteria has on reducing food waste generation.6. ConclusionIn conclusion, our extensive research conducted through this project enabled us to obtain abaseline understanding of student food preferences and motivators behind food waste. This wasachieved through our online surveys, in-person booth interviews, and preliminary literature review.Moreover, through this project we were able to analyze students' perceptions on food waste, as well astheir engagement and awareness on the broader issue. Drawing on the discussion and analysis of theresults, we developed a set of recommendations for action to reduce food waste, as well as potentialavenues for further research. We believe that these recommendations can help UBCFS mitigate foodwaste generated at Open Kitchen, as well as contribute to the broader food waste and GHG emissionsreduction goals at UBC. Our hope is that the research conducted through this project serves as avaluable tool for UBCFS, and contributes to the ongoing endeavours working towards a moresustainable, environmentally responsible academic community.32Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissions7. ReferencesBatlle-Bayer, L., Bala, A., García-Herrero, I., Lemaire, E., Song, G., Aldaco, R., & Fullana–i–Palmer, P.(2019). The Spanish Dietary Guidelines: A potential tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of currentdietary patterns. 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(2023, November 1). Importance of methane | US EPA. USEPA. https://www.epa.gov/gmi/importance-methaneWang, P., Wang, H., Qiu, Y., Ren, L., & Jiang, B. (2018). Microbial characteristics in anaerobic digestionprocess of food waste for methane production–A review. Bioresource Technology, 248, 29–36.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2017.06.15236Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissions8. AppendixSurvey data: Qualtrics_Survey.zipIn-person interview transcripts: listed belowMarch 13, 2024; Open Kitchen at Orchard CommonsInterview #1 *Did not want to be recorded*1. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?30mins2. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?⅓ of the time3. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food?4. E.g. food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetiteToo much sauce on the food, because they add the sauce for you.5. What factors contribute to you leaving some of your food uneaten? If there is a specific food option,specify please.Sometimes the food is undercoooked (chicken)6. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?Would not take food home because they often leave food for reason like undercooked or too muchsauce7. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week? Whatfactors influence these variations in cravings?Very consistent8. Expand upon your favourite and least favourite food stations at Open Kitchen. Why or why don’t youlike eating at them? E.g. food quality, cuisine, station open hoursFav: meatball station; least: fish station (allergy)9. What is the biggest factor for you personally that dictates your level of concern about food waste? E.g.upbringing, socio-economic class, concern for the environment.Don’t think about it regularly, there is concern and try to mitigate food waste when they can10. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining room?They have allergies, so it would be nice to be able to choose how much sauce and condiments areput on the entree. More plain entrees and then being able to add would be betterInterview #21. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?Depends on the meal, but on average 30 minutes2. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?Once a week3. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food? E.g.food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetiteTaking more than you actually eat, so often contribute to food waste4. What factors contribute to you leaving some of your food uneaten? If there is a specific food option,specify please.37Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG EmissionsTaking more than you actually eat, so often contribute to food waste5. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?Pretty consistent6. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week? Whatfactors influence these variations in cravings?Pretty consistent7. Expand upon your favourite and least favourite food stations at Open Kitchen. Why or why don’t youlike eating at them? E.g. food quality, cuisine, station open hoursFav: Vegetarian kitchen ; Least: Salad Bar. Food never attracted them to the salad bar8. What is the biggest factor for you personally that dictates your level of concern about food waste? E.g.upbringing, socio-economic class, concern for the environment.Everytime they waste, they feel concerned. Feels that it happens way more at OK, since don’tknow what it tastes like they take food that ends up not being to their preference9. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining room?First try to have more healthy habits i.e put a lot of unnecessary oil/saucesTry to sensitize people about food wasteWhen people ask for a lot of food, then the servers can ask them to come back for more after theyfinish.Interview #31. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?Around an hour2. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?Once every 6-7 visits3. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food? E.g.food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetiteTo be honest the food is not the best, sometimes chicken is raw, food is undercooked, defrosted.Usually just because take too much and can’t finish the rest4. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?Yes, they would take them easily if they provided boxes to take home.5. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week? Whatfactors influence these variations in cravings?Very consistent, always eat the same thing, but the dining hall is not consistent with meals so thisaffects consistency6. Expand upon your favourite and least favourite food stations at Open Kitchen. Why or why don’t youlike eating at them? E.g. food quality, cuisine, station open hoursFav: Custom Kitchen but not good all the timeLeast fav: Custom Kitchen because its not good all the time7. How aware are you about food waste/ what aspects of it concern you?I don't think much about food waste; my focus is more on the variety and quality of the foodavailable8. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining room?Didn’t answer38Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG EmissionsInterview #41. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?Frequency: OC visit once a day, but all the other dining halls more oftenTime spent ranges : 30 mins by myself, 1 hour with others2. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?Not much, once a month if there is a meal that they don’t like3. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food? E.g.food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetiteFood Quality is the main reason they don’t finish the meal4. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?Yes, I don’t usually like having leftovers5. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week? Whatfactors influence these variations in cravings?Stays the same6. Expand upon your favourite and least favourite food stations at Open Kitchen. Why or why don’t youlike eating at them? E.g. food quality, cuisine, station open hoursFav: Vegetarian StationLeast: Custom Kitchen7. How aware are you about food waste/ what aspects of it concern you?Aware of food waste, sees friends throwing out food. But not particularly common knowledge8. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining ii?Environment: Seating can be clutteredFood wise: more culturally relevant foodsInterview #51. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?Somewhere between 20-40 mins depending on whether eating with others2. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?Not very often, raised in a household that they don’t waste. Once every 15 meals3. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food? E.g.food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetiteRarely portion sizes, usually because of the food qualityAre your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week? Whatfactors influence these variations in cravings?Generally consistent, likes trying different foods4. Expand upon your favourite and least favourite food stations at Open Kitchen. Why or why don’t youlike eating at them? E.g. food quality, cuisine, station open hoursFav: Global Bowl Kitchen / Square KitchenLeast: Flex Station5. How aware are you about food waste/ what aspects of it concern you?Does concern, did project on it. Concerns them in general, but don’t know much about UBCpolicies and work on food waste6. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining ii?39Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG EmissionsEnjoys the cultural foods options, more variety at GatherOrchard has much smaller selection,but makes them really happy when they see the cultural optionsInterview #61. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?30 minutes2. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?Couple times a week3. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food?E.g. food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetiteFood quality affects the amount the throw away4. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?Probably, yah5. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week? Whatfactors influence these variations in cravings?Vary Week to week depending on what they are feeling6. Expand upon your favourite and least favourite food stations at Open Kitchen. Why or why don’t youlike eating at them? E.g. food quality, cuisine, station open hoursFav: Square KitchenLeast: The Grill Kitchen7. How aware are you about food waste/ what aspects of it concern you?Concern about the environment, feels bad to be wasting food because of hunger8. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining ii?Improving the taste quality, more variety for vegetarians because there is often lack of options atOpen KitchenInterview #71. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?30 minutes2. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?1 out of 5 meals3. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food? E.g.food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetite full or preferenceFood preferences can be a barrier, as well as being full from too much on plate4. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?Yes, willing to take leftovers home5. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week? Whatfactors influence these variations in cravings?Pretty Consistent6. Expand upon your favourite and least favourite food stations at Open Kitchen. Why or why don’t youlike eating at them? E.g. food quality, cuisine, station open hoursFav: GlobalLeast: Custom Kitchen7. How aware are you about food waste/ what aspects of it concern you?40Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG EmissionsPretty aware, concerns them when they see people throwing out a lot8. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining?Seating improvementsInterview #81. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?30 minutes2. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?50% of the time3. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food? E.g.food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetite full or preferenceSometimes it time, a lot of time stuff comes with the meal that they don’t like4. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?Yes, they would5. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week? Whatfactors influence these variations in cravings?Pretty consistent6. Expand upon your favourite and least favourite food stations at Open Kitchen. Why or why don’t youlike eating at them? E.g. food quality, cuisine, station open hoursFav: Vegetarian KitchenLeast: Custom Bowl (tons of carbs and not enough protein ; chickens kind of weird)7. How aware are you about food waste/ what aspects of it concern you?Could be more aware, said that information around food waste could8. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining ii?More options for food and less restrictions on portion sizesInterview #9 & #101. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?Depends on the mealAverage: 20-30 minutes2. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?Almost every visit3. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food? E.g.food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetiteSmall portion is too little, but then when you come back for more you aren’t as hungry for thesame amount of food.Spice warning: too spicy too finish4. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?Yes5. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week? Whatfactors influence these variations in cravings?Look at all the stations before, and try different things41Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissions6. Expand upon your favourite and least favourite food stations at Open Kitchen. Why or why don’t youlike eating at them? E.g. food quality, cuisine, station open hoursFav: VegetarianLeast: Sandwhiches Kitchen7. How aware are you about food waste/ what aspects of it concern you?Aware because are part of or aware of sustainability initiatives8. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining?Spice: include rating and full portion or half size optionMore self-serve options, especially with portion sizes because its like too little or too much.Interview # 101. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?Average: 20-30 minutes2. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?half the visits3. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food? E.g.food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetiteSmall portion is too little, but then when you come back for more you aren’t as hungry for thesame amount of food.4. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?Yes5. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week? Whatfactors influence these variations in cravings?Hears certain things about foods, so stay away from those. Relatively consistent otherwise6. Expand upon your favourite and least favourite food stations at Open Kitchen. Why or why don’t youlike eating at them? E.g. food quality, cuisine, station open hoursFav: Square KitchenLeast: Global Bowl Kitchen7. How aware are you about food waste/ what aspects of it concern you?Aware because are part of or aware of sustainability initiatives8. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining?More self-serve options, especially with portion sizes because its like too little or too much.Interview #111. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?40 minutes on average, but depends on what meal ex. Breakfast is a lot quicker (5 minutes)2. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?Once every five visits3. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food? E.g.food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetiteFood preferencesSometimes when very full but not usually4. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?If they don’t like them then no, but if it’s something that they were too full to eat but enjoyed theywould take home42Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissions5. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week? Whatfactors influence these variations in cravings?Consistent, just hard to explain what specific foods they don’t like. Pescatarian so limits choices6. Expand upon your favourite and least favourite food stations at Open Kitchen. Why or why don’t youlike eating at them? E.g. food quality, cuisine, station open hoursFav: Vegetarian KitchenLeast: Sandwhich Kitchen7. How aware are you about food waste/ what aspects of it concern you?Notice if there is leftover food on plate, but would be open to learning more details about itsenvironmental impacts.8. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining?Prefers the stations that allow more flexibility on what is included in the meal. Would like moreself-serve optionsInterview #121. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?30 minutes2. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?Try to finish everything, so 95% nothing to throw away3. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food? E.g.food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetiteTime restrictions like having to be somewhere4. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?Yes, they would5. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week? Whatfactors influence these variations in cravings?Try new things, varies day to day6. Expand upon your favourite and least favourite food stations at Open Kitchen. Why or why don’t youlike eating at them? E.g. food quality, cuisine, station open hoursFav:Least:Doesn’t really have a consistent favourite, depends on the options that day and what they arefeeling like eating7. How aware are you about food waste/ what aspects of it concern you?I am aware of food waste8. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining?More variety, more stationsCan be pretty crowded at times, so that can influence whether they come to Open Kitchen or notInterview #131. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?2-3 hours with friends20 mins alone2. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?Doesn’t end up with a lot of excess food leftover43Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissions3. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food? E.g.food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetiteGiven too much food because there is no option for portion sizes.Labelling can be misleading ex. Saying it's vegan but its not actually vegan4. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?Yes, finds it weird that it's not an option5. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week? Whatfactors influence these variations in cravings?Consistent6. Expand upon your favourite and least favourite food stations at Open Kitchen. Why or why don’t youlike eating at them? E.g. food quality, cuisine, station open hoursFav: depends on which offers non-meat options7. How aware are you about food waste/ what aspects of it concern you?Anxious about food waste, and sustainability here8. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining?More self-serve portion optionsInterview #141. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?20 mins -1.5 hours2. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?Once every five visits3. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food? E.g.food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetiteFood preferences, or just full4. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?If just full, yes would take back home5. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week? Whatfactors influence these variations in cravings?Pretty consistent, meals are usually the same6. Expand upon your favourite and least favourite food stations at Open Kitchen. Why or why don’t youlike eating at them? E.g. food quality, cuisine, station open hoursFav: Square Kitchen/Vegetarian KitchenLeast: Depends on the day7. How aware are you about food waste/ what aspects of it concern you?Try not to waste food, pretty conscious of food wasteLikes the signs because they change decision to waste8. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining?More flexibility in terms of the staple entrees, ex. adding jalapenos and mayo to the grill cheese.Interview #151. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?10 mins -20 mins2. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?Once every five visits44Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissions3. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food? E.g.food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetiteFood preferences, or just full4. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?If just full, yes would take back home5. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week?Pretty consistent, meals are usually the same6. Expand upon your favourite and least favourite food stations at Open Kitchen. Why or why don’t youlike eating them? E.g. food quality, cuisine, station open hoursFav: Square Kitchen/ SandwhichLeast: Custom/Soup Bar7. How aware are you about food waste/ what aspects of it concern you?Try not to waste food, pretty conscious of food waste8. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining?9. More flexibility in terms of the staple entrees, ex. When they add jalapenos and mayo to the grillcheese, would prefer if it was offered plainly without additionsInterview #161. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?1 hour2. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?Every three or four visits3. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food? E.g.food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetiteAlmost always the stale bread, especially for burgers4. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?Probably yes5. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week? Whatfactors influence these variations in cravings?Pretty consistent6. Expand upon your favourite and least favourite food stations at Open Kitchen. Why or why don’t youlike eating at them? E.g. food quality, cuisine, station open hoursFav: Global KitchenLeast: Grill Kitchen (burgers get boring)7. How aware are you about food waste/ what aspects of it concern you?Fairly aware. Grew up with compost and it was part of daily life. Don’t actively think about, butwhen grabbing seconds think about it more8. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining?If bread could be less staleInterview #171. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?30 minutes2. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?Once a week45Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissions3. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food? E.g.food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetiteQuality of the food. If they ever do throw out food its because of the quality4. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?Yes, for sure5. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week? Whatfactors influence these variations in cravings?Pretty consistent, not very picky6. How aware are you about food waste/ what aspects of it concern you?Do think about, and try to finish meal at the Open Kitchen almost everytime7. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining?Different options for different days, often repeatsIncreasing variety each dayInterview #181. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?40 mins -1 hours2. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?Every other visit3. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food? E.g.food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetite4. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?Food preferences and food quality5. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week? Whatfactors influence these variations in cravings?Pretty consistent6. Expand upon your favourite and least favourite food stations at Open Kitchen. Why or why don’t youlike eating at them? E.g. food quality, cuisine, station open hoursFav: Grill KitchenLeast: Vegetarian Kitchen7. How aware are you about food waste/ what aspects of it concern you?Pretty aware of it, but tries not to unless preferences do not permit finishing the meal8. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining?Less oil, more healthy optionsInterview #191. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?20-30 mins2. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?Try to not have any, but bring tupperware to take home leftovers3. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food? E.g.food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetiteMostly food quality or given too much food4. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?Yes, willing to do so46Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste andGHG Emissions5. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week? Whatfactors influence these variations in cravings?Tend to not try new foods, sticks to the same stations/food everytime6. Expand upon your favourite and least favourite food stations at Open Kitchen. Why or why don’t youlike eating at them? E.g. food quality, cuisine, station open hoursFav: Cookies (whatever station that is)Least: depends on the food7. How aware are you about food waste/ what aspects of it concern you?Pretty significant, they feel bad because growing up was reminded about people going hungry.Never really connected to climate change8. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining?Hears that people complain about prices. Open Kitchen seems to have higher prices than otherresidence dining halls. Don’t usually come here for dinners because of the pricesInterview #20A. How much time do you spend at the dining hall during each visit?More than 30 mins, less than one hour.B. How often do you have leftover food on your plate that you have to throw away?Try not to, but sometimes the food is too dry.C. Can you finish your meal? If not, what is a barrier that prevents you from finishing your food? E.g.food quality, portion size, insufficient dining time, poor appetiteMainly food qualityD. If you can take your leftovers back home, are you willing to do so?Yes, would take home leftoversE. Are your food preferences and tastes consistent, or do they vary from day-to-day/week-to-week? Whatfactors influence these variations in cravings?Sticks to certain stations, doesn’t experiment much with new optionsF. Expand upon your favourite and least favourite food stations at Open Kitchen. Why or why don’t youlike eating at them? E.g. food quality, cuisine, station open hoursFav: Square KitchenLeast: Grill KitchenG. How aware are you about food waste/ what aspects of it concern you?Pretty concerned about it, they feel guilty wasting foodNo environmental aspect, more just moral obligationH. What is one thing that would improve your overall experience in your residence dining?Allowing students to take food homeSpreading out different food options during high traffic times, some stations rarely visited othersa lot more.47
Report
eng
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Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
Undergraduate
UBC Social Ecological Economic Development Studies (SEEDS) Student Report
University of British Columbia. LFS 450
Food
Climate
Behaviour
Dietary
Understanding Food Waste Drivers and Food Preferences Among 1st Year Student Residences to Reduce All Access Dining Waste and GHG Emissions
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