New MOOC: Discover the causes and impact of food waste

Explore how combatting food waste and food loss can help the environment

The significant contribution the food system makes to climate change is widely recognised, and consumers are increasingly concerned about food waste.

On this online course, you’ll explore how you – as adult educators– can act and inspire others to reduce food waste effectively and sustainably. You’ll learn what food waste is, and why it matters, and gain practical information on how to be an agent of change both personally and politically.

You’ll discover how the circular economy provides a framework for discovering solutions to this issue and hear from companies that are making a difference.

A flexible online course

This course is hosted on FutureLearn, and is accessible free of charge. Participants can learn at their own pace, at anytime, anywhere, either on a laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

92% of learners stated that they gained knowledge thanks to this course developed by University of Reading, in collaboration with Mimica and Rethink Resource. “From Waste to Value: How to Tackle Food Waste” is 1 of 25 EIT Food online courses available all year round for consumers and citizens.

This course attracted 3,800+ learners from 122 countries to date. It is composed of 9 learning hours, broken down in 3 weeks.

Learning objectives and outcomes

Once completed, participants will be able to:

• Evaluate the causes of food loss and food waste and assess the effect on the planet in terms of food security, sustainability, and climate change
• Reflect on your own personal contribution to the problem and explore the potential of the waste hierarchy and the circular economy to suggest solutions
• Investigate how changes in the way we shop, cook and store food can help reduce food waste
• Collaborate to produce actionable changes that can make an impact on your own community
• Compare the practices of different retailers and discover the innovations that are helping them to reduce waste
• Engage with the policies of national governments and the EU and help improve the sustainability of the food system in your country

EIT Food Education focuses on looking at ways to attract, develop and empower talent to help transform the food system into an innovative sector, one which produces healthy and sustainable food and is trusted by society. Adult educators and trainers play a crucial role in enabling such transformation.

Connection with 2021 EPALE Thematic Focuses

Since adult education plays a key role in sustainable development and promotes social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development by enabling positive conditions for empowering active citizens, EIT Food may support adult educators in this challenge. This course is a valuable tool for trainings and educational programmes on sustainability and citizenship.

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