Food: A Starting Point to Greener Lifestyle

On October 30, 2010, a Food Education Workshop, organized by Learning and Ecological Activities Foundation for Children (LEAF) from Japan, Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) and Green Point, was held at Zhenneng Primary School of Guanlan, Shenzhen, one of the three pilot communities in Guangdong. More than 40 students and their parents participated in the workshop, sharing the joy of cooking curry and learning about environment all together.

The workshop was designed to explain to children and their families the connections between the food we consume everyday and the environment by illustrating the life circle of food. At the workshop, the ten-year-olds learned environmental knowledge through practice in preparing lunch and cleaning-up effort after the meal, which was guided by Japanese representatives from LEAF, and its member business House Foods Corporation¡ªa curry producer and Daiei, a solid waste treatment firm in Japan. Through the hands-on practice in the meal preparation and cleaning up, the children were able to learn where the food comes and goes, and how to be environmental friendly in daily life.

To bring out the best of the workshop, Mr. Masayoshi Ogawa from LEAF and representatives from Daiei and House Foods visited Guangdong in September. They conducted trainings for the teachers, who would be able to bring what they've learnt to the class and help the young to better digest the new concept.

"It's a long way to come to realize the importance of the environment, and the food section is key to better protect the environment. We need to form a rational dining habit which will build a better habitant for all of us. Everybody's effort is required and essential." Mr. Chan, a parent who attended the workshop, wrote in his feedback form about what he thought. And his child Huang Ting, hopes that people could stop using disposable things and reduce the waste produced in their daily life.

The Food Education Workshop was well received among the participants, according the feedback survey conducted afterwards. For the teachers and other education workers from the communities, it brings new life to the education for sustainable development (ESD), and sheds lights to improve participation of the children and their families in a creative and effective way.

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