The joy of good food is one of the true pleasures in life, but it does create a trail of waste. Dealing with this waste has been one of the focus areas of the year.

 

Compost Testing – After ten years of good service, the original food composting machine finally failed. Before buying a replacement, it was worthwhile to take a comprehensive look at composting and its effectiveness in converting food scraps into usable materials. With the help of several students, the Health Safety and Environment Office (HSEO) took on this question as a research project. The team visited composting efforts across Hong Kong, conducted user surveys, and collected compost samples from various machines to test their quality and viability. The samples underwent lab testing as well as planting tests under the care of the HKUST Horticulture Unit.

 

At the end of the study, the results were in, and they were eye-opening. Some of the compost samples fared well, and others performed badly.  In fact, in some cases, the compost samples actually killed the test plants! The results gave key insights in developing the tenders for the next generation of food composting systems, and provided students with hands-on experience in what we mean when we say that "sustainability is an evidence-driven mindset."  

 

Making the Connection between Meat and the Environment – Hong Kong has some of the most delicious food in the world, and apparently much of it contains beef. Beef consumption per capita in Hong Kong is among the highest in the world. Unfortunately, the production of beef results in more greenhouse gases and other associated environmental impacts than other food items. With this in mind, the HKUST Students' Union joined the Campus Services Office to launch Green Monday at six catering outlets on campus. Starting in September 2013, the six participating outlets started an offer of a $2 discount on selected vegetarian dishes from the caterers' existing menus during lunch every Monday.