Impact and data - not really a short cut when it comes to (food) waste

The last couple of weeks have been somehow surreal.  I got in touch again with a good friend and also with a former student of mine.

  

In both cases there are possibilities for collaboration and further research if not more practical projects.  We have met (online, over the phone) and talked things through.  

I call the experiences surreal because they came out of the blue.  I was not expecting them.  It was refreshing to talk to two people I knew and know they are doing very well in their own field.  

And my motivation to talk to them is also driven by my work environment.  Universities now are to generate more impact.  This means whatever we do has to change the life of organisations, communities or other groups in society.  We are to finally put our knowledge to the service of others.  

The UK government has evaluated us in this regard, and there are talks that this is going to continue and increase.  We are to show more impact.  More engagement.  Perhaps more commitment with those who could benefit from our research or other activities.  

Myself, I consider I do practical things with companies (mostly in the social entrepreneurship or innovation domain) and with my students.    During these weeks I have also met my group of academics and practitioners with we have been working for about a year.  

We meet to discuss how a project is going.  We would like to better understand how it is that people behave towards food waste and recycling.  We would like to collect more data to better understand such behaviour.  And it looks as if we need to spend more time than initially expected doing that.  

There seems to be no short cut for this.  We need to talk and listen to managers and consumers (students).  We also need to assess how it is that organisations like universities are sending recycling messages to their audiences.  Do we need to adopt a firm, punishing attitude to those who do not recycle or waste food?  

Perhaps not.  We have this summer to find out what has been going on in this area, what people have done to motivate consumers and others to pay more attention to the (food) waste in campuses, and if possible, design better messages or campaigns which, supported by appropriate data, could give us a better chance to prevent if not reduce waste.  

Wish us good luck in this effort!