In the developed world, materialism and consumerism are on the rise, which, together with the increase in the population, is causing an increasing demand for food. The way we eat has numerous negative impacts on the environment, which are reflected in the entire life cycle of food – from production and processing, transport and packaging, to the treatment of food waste. These processes cause significant environmental degradation and contribute to modern environmental challenges. Due to these consequences, it is necessary to raise awareness among individuals about the impact of irresponsible eating on the planet and human health, with initiatives such as the Eat responsibly! project playing an important role.
Project Eat responsibly! was implemented under the auspices of the Eco-School between 2015 and 2018. The project led kindergartens, primary and secondary schools through various activities with which children, schoolchildren and adolescents were supposed to acquire a more responsible attitude towards food. The project consisted of six content areas, namely Eat local and seasonal food; Eat less meat; Eat fresh and wholesome food; Get to know the producer; Saving and preserving old species and Let's reduce the amount of wasted food. With these contents, the project included current global problems related to food production and processing, and food consumption.
Responsible eating is a key element of sustainable development, as it affects the environment and society. In cooperation with the Eco-School of Slovenia, I analyzed the action plans of primary schools and designed a survey questionnaire for students and teachers who participated in the project as coordinators. The purpose of the research was to check whether the students who participated in the project developed a more responsible attitude towards eating and acquired new knowledge about the impact of food on the environment, while also identifying challenges in implementing educational activities and suggesting improvements. The sample included 42 teachers and 230 students from the last educational period who participated in the project. Data were collected through a survey questionnaire, which was designed based on an analysis of school action plans and included questions about changes in students' attitudes toward food and the effectiveness of the implemented activities.
The results showed that students who actively participated developed a positive attitude towards responsible food management and gained new knowledge about the impact of nutrition on the environment, with the most effective activities being those that enabled active participation, awareness-raising and the introduction of changes. Despite the positive results, some inhibiting factors were also evident that can limit the long-term effectiveness of educational activities. The most frequently detected inhibiting factors were time constraints, additional workload for teachers and other school professionals, and resistance to dietary changes.
Based on the findings, I can recommend the introduction of additional educational content that would further promote responsible food management among students. It is crucial to enable students to actively participate in projects and to practically apply the acquired knowledge, as such approaches have proven to be the most effective in forming sustainable dietary habits.
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