Clean Our Plate - Save Food, Save the Environment

THE PROBLEM

Clean Our Plate, in short, COP is a six weeks social project started by AIESEC in Malaysia 2016. Being one of the three national projects organised by AIESEC in Malaysia, COP aims to work upon the vision of increasing awareness, changing attitudes and initiate easy actions for youth towards reducing preventable food waste & fully utilizing food waste while influencing their peers and their household.

The project’s planning involved university students in both public and private higher education institutions using a design framework created by AIESEC and more than 8 partners working in food wastage fields. While the project execution involves youth volunteers recruited from all over the world.

The Problem

According to research by SWCorp 2017, there are 16,688 tonnes of food waste generated daily in Malaysia, amongst them, 4,005 tonnes are avoidable which caused every household waste about RM225 monthly for that. Inspire to reduce at least 50% of food waste by the end of 2030 through cultivating responsible consumption habits, Clean Our Plate started its journey since 2016 in creating awareness, provide easy and obvious initiatives to youth in Malaysia through school workshops, café engagement, University collaboration and public awareness.

THE SOLUTION

The project consists of several components for both secondary school students and the global volunteers.

1st - Action Space Launching in Secondary Schools

Which aims to evaluate the project deliverables and impacts regarding how students and Global Volunteers can contribute to it, and to announce student’s initiation in front of whole schools.

2nd - National Street Feeding

Which aims to Donate the surplus food to low-income families.

3rd - School Camp Session Delivery

Which aims to equip secondary school students with facilitation skills, critical thinking or design thinking process to facilitate their thought processes in planning own initiatives by delivering session related to project management.

4th - Action Space

Which aims to collect the food wastage from different channels and convert them to be useful food with the help of the food wastage machine.

5th - Action Space Closing Ceremony

Which aims to provide recognition to the students for their efforts in completing own initiatives so do motivate them in continuing their journey as an activist.

THE IMPACT

Clean Our Plate has been reached more than 400 Global Volunteers, 130 Secondary Schools, 11,000 Secondary Students and 58,000 digital reaches in our social media. Our food waste measurement is measured by 4 Matrics.

1) Increased Awareness of Students

Survey questionnaire was distributed to the students and their correct answers were measured to calculate the change in awareness: 12.53% average increase of awareness across 23 schools.

2) Behavioral Change of Students

Behavior change is measured using the likert scale where the students choose from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree) to statements related to tackling food waste issues. Their choices are then further categorised to Negative, Neutral and Positive behavior: 33.43% Average Increase of Positive Behavior Across 23 Schools

3) Food Waste Reduction in School

Food waste measurement is done in two particular periods, where measurement was taken for at least two days to get the average for each period. Being able to reduce food waste in the school is a great start to get these students practicing it in their daily lifestyle: 32.7% Average Reduction of Food Wastage Across 6 Schools.

4) Activities Carried Out by Students

Students from SMK Putrajaya Presint 16 (1) raised awareness to their peers by carrying out games and presenting food waste issue in the form of drama play to involve their peers and make food waste issue more interesting.

Goal Breakdown

Goal 1 - Project Materials. Amount Needed: MYR720.00

Goal 2 - Transportation. Amount Needed: MYR1,115.00

Goal 3 - Accommodation Rental. Amount Needed: MYR1,165.00

Giving is not just about making a donation, it is about making a difference.