Project Info

Reducing campus food waste & minimizing Hunger

Amy Landis
amylandis@mines.edu
The purpose of this project is twofold: first is to both reduce campus food waste and combat food insecurity in the Mines community. The second purpose is to educate consumers about environmental impacts of their diet choices related to nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycle disruption. N and P losses to the environment have a wide-range of impacts, including contribution to global climate change, eutrophication of both coastal and inland water bodies, air pollution, and drinking water pollution. The student will work to understand food waste on mines campus, identify opportunities to minimize waste, feed people, and turn waste into valuable products, such as energy.

More Information:

Grand Challenge: Manage the nitrogen cycle.
The first project is a new effort within the group. The second is part of the N and P sustainability project ongoing in Landis Sustainability Research Group (LSRG): https://www.mines.edu/lsrg/nutrientsnp/ The food surplus/free food notification app would be structured similarly to the LunchBox App: http://www.universitylunchbox.com/#about The diet N and P footprint calculator would be modeled after carbon footprint calculators like the one from the Nature Conservancy: https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/consider-your-impact/carbon-calculator/

Primary Contacts:

amylandis@mines.edu, malgren@mymail.mines.edu, vmealing@mymail.mines.edu

Student Preparation

Qualifications

Basic programming skills and experience, basic mass balance skills, creativity, organization skills, interest in environmental issues

TIME COMMITMENT (HRS/WK)

5-15 hours per week

SKILLS/TECHNIQUES GAINED

waste audit experience, waste to energy modeling, increased understanding of the contributions of food systems to N and P cycle disruption

MENTORING PLAN

The student will meet one-on-one, weekly or bi-weekly with LSRG graduate students (and Dr. Amy Landis as needed) for project planning and progress reports. The graduate student mentors will also be available to the student throughout the fellowship to answer questions and assist with technical skills development.

PREFERRED STUDENT STATUS

Freshman
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
Share This