The college campus as a living laboratory for meaningful food system transformation

Abstract

As has become abundantly clear to the social scientists, agriculturalists, policymakers, and food justice advocates who have taken up the fight, progress toward more resilient, fair, and effective food systems is hard fought and prone to challenges. Vexingly, the competing goals of food system improvement even make defining “success” in food system transformation difficult: accessible, affordable food versus nutritious food; diversity in the agricultural economy versus the cost savings of consolidation; and consumer choice and variety versus the ecological advantages of eating seasonally and locally. In this commentary, we treat American college campuses as analogs of the larger food system and as such, laboratories[1] for study of these systemic tradeoffs and proving grounds for policy interventions. We argue that the lived context of college students approximates that of communities in which financial, logistical, and other challenges negatively affect nutrition, equitable food access, and food knowledge outcomes. We suggest that the rigorous assessment of changes in educational philosophy, management practices, and spending priorities on campuses may offer insight into the ways in which we might effect change throughout the broad national food landscape, to facilitate the transition to more equitable and just food systems. [1] Our propositions here connect more broadly with the literature examining the campus as a living laboratory, which addresses a wide array of sustainability issues (e.g., Gomez & Derr, 2021; Hansen, 2017; Save et al., 2021).

Health Professionals’ Role in Promoting Health and Environmental Sustainability through Sustainable Food Advocacy: A Systematic Literature Review

“…In the context of food sustainability, the adoption of a plant-based diet in health facilities presents both opportunities and challenges [42]. While advocating for a plant-based diet can help to reduce the environmental footprint associated with animal agriculture [43], careful consideration is required to ensure that patients receive a balanced diet.…”

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“…This commentary unpacks the intricate dynamics within the on-campus farming environment by examining the experiences of two groups: staff members and student workers. Understanding their perspectives is crucial for cultivating an environment that maximizes the potential of college campus farming initiatives (Evans & Roggio, 2023;Walter, 2013).…”

Justice and equity approaches to college and university student food (in)security: Introduction to the special section

“…In response to the novel and systems-level aspects of the section call, Evans & Roggio (2023) draw parallels between crises and inequities in the broader food system and the college campus in a reflective essay. They suggest that by profoundly restructuring college spending and retention practices; nutrition, food, and health education; and waste reduction and food sharing strategies, college campuses can serve as living laboratories to directly address these issues and inform broader food policy changes.…”