| dc.description.abstract | Food waste poses a major global challenge in terms of environmental and economic
impacts. Within this context, higher education institutions play a pivotal role in fostering
sustainability awareness and cultivating lifelong habits. This prompts an inquiry into the
behaviours surrounding students’ adherence to preventative food waste measures. This
comparative study aimed to explore the food waste behaviours among undergraduate students
studying Environmental Science or Sustainability (ENVS/SUST) and those studying other
programs at Dalhousie University. The goal is a greater understanding of potential contributors to
food waste quantities generated and to pinpoint any gaps in the environmental education of
Dalhousie students regarding this topic. This study utilized a survey to collect quantitative data
on students’ habits, perceptions, and intentions regarding food waste. After the ten days of data
collection, there were 138 respondents, excluding 5 non-target respondents. No significant
difference in food waste habits was found between ENVS/SUST and other majors, however they
both showed moderate adherence to waste reduction practices. Perceptions of food waste were
very good across both majors, with no significant difference. There was a weak positive
correlation between food waste habits and perceptions. Saving money and environmental
concern were the most important factors driving food waste reduction for both groups. Course
content significantly influenced ENVS/SUST majors in awareness of the concerns of food waste.
The main barriers to waste reduction were found to be time and economic constraints. In light of
these findings, this study recommends that higher education institutions emphasise strategies to
translate this awareness into actual action when raising students' understanding of the food waste
problem. To this end, it is recommended that more targeted intervention strategies and
educational programs be developed to promote students' adoption of sustainable food
consumption and food waste reduction behaviours in their daily lives. | en_US |
