Food Day 2012
Project Leads: Mike Laux, Renee’ Simpson, and the Cal Dining Sustainability Team
Sponsor: Cal Dining
TGIF Grant: $3,875
Project Theme: Food Justice & Sustainability
Status: Complete
Project Description: This grant funded a student intern and the materials for Food Day 2012. The intern worked with campus eateries and student groups on continuing Food Day ideals year-round in collaboration with the Nutrition & Physical Activity Workgroup and Sustainable Food Service Workgroup.
What is Food Day? It’s a nationwide celebration and a movement toward more healthy, affordable, and sustainable food! Come show your support for wholesome foods by tasting delicious samples, watching cooking demos, listening to a musical performance, and talking to our foodie-conscious student organizations!
“Food Day is an opportunity to celebrate real food and the movement rising to reform the American food system.” -Michael Pollan, UC Berkeley Faculty, author, and journalist
Goals: Participate in Food Day, a nationwide campaign that launched in 2011 in order to support healthy and delicious food prepared in a sustainable and humane way, by encouraging students, staff, faculty, and other campus community members to “eat real” food that is both good for them as well as for the environment. Improve and expand upon UC Berkeley’s Food Day 2011 activities, so that there is increased attendance and heightened effects on the mindset of participants regarding Food Day issues for a subsequent change in purchasing practices toward more sustainable, healthier food. Broaden our scope to include more campus entities and work more deeply with those that are involved. Work closely with Cal Dining and the Nutrition and Physical Activity Workgroup. Go beyond Food Day by messaging through programs such as Eat Well Berkeley, Eat Green, and various cooking classes that address Food Day concepts such as carbon footprint of food choices and reducing food waste. Provide specific messaging and concepts for these programs to utilize. Obtain signatures on the UC Eats Real Food Day Pledge. Host a Food Day picnic.