University of California, San Diego
SD-2: Food Education

Courses such as BILD 22, Human Nutrition discusses our understanding of the basic chemistry and biology of human nutrition; discussions of all aspects of food: nutritional value, diet, nutritional diseases, public health, and public policy. Additionally, courses such as IRGN 457 provide an examination of public policy analysis, such as cost-benefit analysis and project evaluation, for use in policy formation. Case studies emphasizing the environment, agriculture and food, and economic development are included.

Dining Halls have education posters that explain recycling, composting and healthy food choices.

Earl Warren College at UC San Diego created the “Go Green Initiative” to reduce their environmental impact and save money during their student orientation program. Following the lead of the UCSD Housing, Dining, and Hospitality Department which provided each on-campus resident with a reusable water bottle in the Fall, Earl Warren College supplied reusable water bottles for all students involved in orientation. The Resident Advisors (RA’S) for Freshman and Sophomores living on campus are educated about campus sustainability and conservation during their training process through EcoBootcamp. The RA’s are then able to pass on sustainability information to new students living on campus beginning during orientation and continuing throughout the year. http://ssi.ucsd.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=121&Itemid=18

The Zone at UC San Diego offers a wide variety of resources that support students in the 8 Dimensions of Well-being-- including health and nutrition. Cooking classes such as Tasty Tuesday are offered on a weekly basis and highlight healthy and environmentally friendly recipes. The Zone is proud to be a one-stop well-being lounge that supplies students with fresh daily samples so that they can perform at their best. Everything at the Zone is FREE upfront and is funded through student fees. The Urban Farm Initiative is a product of The Sustainable Food Project at UC San Diego. The vision of the Sustainable Food Project is to establish a vibrant experiential learning center such as The Pepper Canyon Farm on the UC San Diego campus that encourages participation in and educates the university’s community about sustainable living through the cultivation of sustainably-grown food. On 8,800 sq. feet of land in Pepper Canyon, The Urban Farm Initiative allows the UC San Diego community to learn how to grow rich organic seasonal crops in urban and suburban landscapes.

Yes, workshops such as Grads that Garden featured through the Zone and the UCSD Community Gardens teach students about organic farming and offer events and programs to get students involved in local gardening and agriculture.