Children who participate in the Weigh and Think iniciatives are those who best explain the origin of the project. Take a look at the video!
The first step consists of correctly separating food waste into 4 different containers:
PACKAGING, where we put possible inorganic remains, such as food containers, yoghurt containers, the containers of water and other liquids, or disposable containers used to carry cooked food.
INEDIBLES, where we put the organic remains that aren’t eaten, such as fruit peels, fish bones, paper napkins, etc.
EDIBLES, where we put the remains of food that could have been eaten, except for water.
WATER, in the last container, we put the leftover water that can’t be taken advantage of.
The second step systematically establishes an exact weight of the waste generated and the relationship between it and the result of the number of meals served. It’s very important to write down the exact amounts.
To systematically manage the data collected separately each day, writing down the following: the name of the school; the town/city; the date the data was collected, the menu served, the number of meals served, the kg of packaging; the kg of inedible items; the kg of edible items and the litres of water.
Then the sum of the last 30 days of kg generated by all of the school children will be calculated using the formula:
kg of ... from day 1 + kg of ... from day 2 + ...
As well as the kg wasted per meal, using the formula:
Monthly sum / number of meals
The next step will consist of providing the children with an app to record the data obtained and then analyze them. The web app includes a specific section to enter the following data: service menus, light packaging waste, organic waste, wasted food and water.
In addition, they complete registration forms that help to share the results of the project with families and teachers and also apply the experience in other contexts.
The most important part of the method. Once the data is recorded, the school children, the cooks, and the monitors analyse the data collected regarding the waste produced.
With the THINK step, we become aware of what we eat, the role that it plays in our diet... for the purpose of developing a critical attitude towards consumption and for everyone (children, cooking staff, and monitors) to jointly develop strategies to reduce waste production and food waste.
During the first month of implementation, it is recommended that only steps 1 to 4 be done.
On a monthly basis, we propose creating a system for gathering all of the data and defining quantitative goals to achieve for the following month.
It’s recommendable to develop the SET A GOAL step once the first month has passed, not before. In this manner, we manage to generate some initial data for diagnosis.
We understand this step as something that can be revised month by month, adapting the goals to be set to each group of children’s possibilities. This should become a motivating tool for them where the goals reached are reflected.
Weight and think project allow the use of healthy food for later distribution to families in situations of social vulnerability. This initiative promotes the creation of a new model of circularity of waste and food. And it is very important that children become aware of it.
- Through food recovery in a safe way
- Through compost generation to use it at school garden
- Through the correct separation of organic waste fraction
