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Gaming Against Food Waste : Analyzing the Impact of Game-like Imagery in Reducing Food Waste at an All-Access University Dining Hall

University of British Columbia. Food Services; University of British Columbia. Campus and Community Planning

Introduction The urgency for actionable interventions is evident, with UBC's food waste contributing to 29,000 tonnes of CO2 emission annually (UBC Board of Governors, 2021). Our study introduces a game-themed informative nudge to combat this problem at the university level, aiming to reduce food waste at UBC and set a precedent for future sustainable practices. Research Question How does game-like imagery impact food waste at an all-access university dining hall? Methods Our group developed three versions of a poster alternating in its mindful eating tips. We conducted a between-subjects experimental design spanning over two weeks, which included a four-day baseline period and an eight-day intervention period in which the posters were displayed around the food stations and high foot traffic areas; we observed and measured food waste disposal during this period. Observation data was quantified using a 5-point Likert scale, and average food waste per person was calculated using waste-weight and total entries during the experiment period. Results The Mann-Whitney U test calculated on the average waste disposal data revealed no significant reduction in the total food weight waste per person (kg) despite an observed decrease in avoidable food waste disposal, suggesting limited effectiveness of the gamified posters. Recommendations We would suggest doing further research with a longer intervention period with game-like imagery in the dining halls. Continuing observations after taking posters down postintervention may also help track the robustness of the intervention. Furthermore, surveys can be conducted to study consumer behaviours, awareness of food waste reduction strategies employed by current research, and attitudes toward game-like posters (such as ours) about food waste. Future surveys could also focus on getting consumer feedback on menu items, allowing attendees to have more of a say in what they eat and reduce food waste through a more preferred menu list. 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.”

Report

eng

2024-07-30

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/88741

Unreviewed

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/