Current Campaigns
Outreach & Education
Real Food Challenge Education and Engagement Series (Fall 2013): OC Food Insecurity
Time: Thursday, November 14, 2013 (7-9PM)
Location: Social Science Hall 100
The Real Food Challenge & Theta Psi would like to invite UCI students to join us in the screening of A Place at the Table, a documentary film on food insecurity in America. A discussion panel, featuring representatives from the Orange County Food Bank and OC Food Access Coalition, will accompany the film. The panel will focus on how the issues addressed in film are manifested in our local context, and how local communities are working to address these issues. The speakers will also share opportunities for UCI students to get involved. Free snacks may be provided.
You can RSVP on our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/157735121103955/
Food Studies Specialization
In the Spring of 2013 the Real Food Challenge worked with several faculties from different Schools and Departments (e.g. School of Social Ecology and the Department of History) to look at the possibility of starting an interdisciplinary food studies minor program on campus. We sent out a survey asking students asking whether they would be interested in having such a program on campus and if so, what sorts of areas of Food Studies would they want to see it to incorporate. We received 189 responses the results indicated results interest in the program.
We conducted some preliminary research on related or similar programs at other universities, we submitted a memo as an advisory piece to the faculties whom we are involved with. We will be continuing to meet and work with other staff and faculties on this initiative throughout this year to bring together a concrete vision of how the Food Studies minor could fit into the university's profile. If you're interested in getting involved on this issue please subscribe to our newsletter at our homepage and/or join us at our weekly meetings! We will also keep our progress posted on this page.
Real Food Challenge Education and Engagement Series (Fall 2013): OC Food Insecurity
Time: Thursday, November 14, 2013 (7-9PM)
Location: Social Science Hall 100
The Real Food Challenge & Theta Psi would like to invite UCI students to join us in the screening of A Place at the Table, a documentary film on food insecurity in America. A discussion panel, featuring representatives from the Orange County Food Bank and OC Food Access Coalition, will accompany the film. The panel will focus on how the issues addressed in film are manifested in our local context, and how local communities are working to address these issues. The speakers will also share opportunities for UCI students to get involved. Free snacks may be provided.
You can RSVP on our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/157735121103955/
Food Studies Specialization
In the Spring of 2013 the Real Food Challenge worked with several faculties from different Schools and Departments (e.g. School of Social Ecology and the Department of History) to look at the possibility of starting an interdisciplinary food studies minor program on campus. We sent out a survey asking students asking whether they would be interested in having such a program on campus and if so, what sorts of areas of Food Studies would they want to see it to incorporate. We received 189 responses the results indicated results interest in the program.
We conducted some preliminary research on related or similar programs at other universities, we submitted a memo as an advisory piece to the faculties whom we are involved with. We will be continuing to meet and work with other staff and faculties on this initiative throughout this year to bring together a concrete vision of how the Food Studies minor could fit into the university's profile. If you're interested in getting involved on this issue please subscribe to our newsletter at our homepage and/or join us at our weekly meetings! We will also keep our progress posted on this page.
Previous Campaigns
ASUCI Garden Commission
This was initially a campaign called the Anteater Garden Initiative (AGI) and was a collaborative effort between Students for Sustainability, and the Real Food Challenge clubs at UCI. AGI aimed to establish a permanent student‐run on‐campus community garden dedicated to providing UCI students with education on sustainable agriculture and its relationship to the community, the economy, the earth and them.
It's a little over two years now, and we have established ourselves in ASUCI, created a commission, received land and were rewarded over $30,000 from The Green Initiative Fund. More importantly the garden has become a mainstay of student life on campus. The groundbreaking was on February 5th, 2011 - over 200 students came together and built the garden in a day! This fall its going strong again with a new crop cycle of Kales, beets, broccoli and more. Weekly garden work parties happen on Saturday starting 10 AM. If you're interested in learning more or helping in a more permanent capacity, check out our ASUCI website and fill out the interest form! We'll contact you shortly.
It's a little over two years now, and we have established ourselves in ASUCI, created a commission, received land and were rewarded over $30,000 from The Green Initiative Fund. More importantly the garden has become a mainstay of student life on campus. The groundbreaking was on February 5th, 2011 - over 200 students came together and built the garden in a day! This fall its going strong again with a new crop cycle of Kales, beets, broccoli and more. Weekly garden work parties happen on Saturday starting 10 AM. If you're interested in learning more or helping in a more permanent capacity, check out our ASUCI website and fill out the interest form! We'll contact you shortly.
Weigh the Waste
Each quarter, RFC partners with UCI Dining to host educational events about waste reduction in the residential dining halls. We weigh all the waste generated by dining patrons in one night, distribute educational materials about waste reduction, and encourage students to adopt more sustainable eating habits. Since UCI Dining went trayless in 2008, we've seen a 50% reduction in food waste!
Styrofoam Ban
We collaborated with students and dining administrators to phase out Styrofoam from the retail dining locations on campus. By eliminating Styrofoam from the eateries in the Student Center, we supported the health of consumers, marine animals, and the environment.
Styrofoam Ban
We collaborated with students and dining administrators to phase out Styrofoam from the retail dining locations on campus. By eliminating Styrofoam from the eateries in the Student Center, we supported the health of consumers, marine animals, and the environment.
Trayless Dining
We encouraged UCI Dining to implement trayless dining in the residential dining halls in order to reduce student food waste. In fall 2008, UCI Dining & Aramark went trayless in Mesa Commons, Brandywine, and Pippin, and we've seen a huge reduction in food waste. Because students are wasting less food, we're sending less waste to the landfills and we're saving money on food preparation & dishwashing that we can spend on new sustainability projects.