SiTeS – Sustainable Innovation Technology Services participated in an online Kick-off meeting on 19th January to launch ZERO_WASTE – a new Erasmus+ project on adult education for sustainability. SiTeS will play a key role in Quality Assurance and Risk Management, as well as coordinating a ZERO_WASTE pilot initiative in Ireland.
The 24-month project, which began in December 2020, is targeting the problem of food waste in Europe, where it is estimated that food waste represents 20% of food produced across the EU. Reducing food waste by half is one of the commitments made in 2015 by United Nations (UN) member countries. To address this challenge, the ZERO_WASTE project aims to promote social inclusion, and generate interest in food systems, especially in rural areas that lack broad access to updated scientific content related to food waste reduction. Through teacher training and adult education and training centres, the project aims to engage key associations and families in four countries to create a network aimed at reducing food waste among families by providing them with good-practice examples, an open food waste digital toolkit, and a web-based platform where related information about food waste reduction and support can be accessed.
SiTeS CEO, Mr Leonardo Piccinetti, commented: “Food waste is a growing global crisis that can be tackled through education and shifts in patterns of behaviour. ZERO_WASTE will create sustainable ways and means of making a significant impact that can be cascaded.”
ZERO_WASTE will run in select regions of Spain (Aragon), Portugal (Viana do Castelo), Romania (Transylvania) and Ireland (central region), engaging adults and families through educational games and materials for adults and families to stimulate a shift towards sustainable development through education. The partners from four European countries (ESCIENCIA, UNIZAR, SITES, SEC, PREVIFORM, FAMCP) will support the professional development of teachers with innovative educational methodologies, including didactic gamification tool with scientific content.
At the Kick-off meeting, the European project partners introduced themselves and highlighted their contribution to the project before planning activities for the first quarter, including the creation of ZERO_WASTE’s visual identity, communication channels, mapping existing knowledge in the target rural areas, and quality assurance control.
About ZERO_WASTE
ZERO_WASTE is funded by the European Commission in the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme, KA2 – Strategic Partnership in the field of Adult Education and is coordinated by Esciencia Eventos Cientificos in Spain.