Building Sustainable School Kitchens: A Vision for UP2030

In the context of the UP2030 initiative, a pilot school in Zagreb is set to lead the way in sustainability, education, and innovation. Imagine a future where every meal prepared in this school becomes part of a circular process—from School Farming to Food Production, Consumption, Waste, and Composting—and back again. With this pilot, we aim to redefine urban agriculture and demonstrate how communities can take a hands-on role in shaping a greener tomorrow.

This post explores practical ideas for schools to embrace this journey and serves as a call for other schools interested in joining this movement. It also provides a framework they can adapt and use to implement sustainability initiatives in their own kitchens and communities. Let’s work together to inspire change, build resilience, and set an example for the world.

The Value Chain of a School Kitchen

Every meal prepared in a school kitchen involves a value chain with several components:

Inputs: Ingredients and resources (food, water, energy) sourced from suppliers.
Processes: Storage, preparation, cooking, serving, and waste management within the kitchen.
Outputs: Meals served to students and waste generated (food, water, and packaging).
Outcomes: Nutritional benefits for students, environmental impact, and the opportunity to foster sustainability awareness.

By focusing on each link in this chain, we open up endless possibilities for smarter, greener operations.

A Framework for Improvement: Scope 1, Scope 2, Scope 3

To make sustainability actionable in a way that everyone can understand, we’ve broken the process into three areas or “scopes.” Think of these as levels of responsibility for emissions that come from running a school kitchen:

Scope 1: These are the direct emissions created right inside the school—like the energy used for cooking or the waste produced from food preparation.
Scope 2: These are the indirect emissions that come from the energy you buy, such as electricity for refrigerators and lighting.
Scope 3: This includes emissions from everything else, like the transportation of food to the school, how it’s packaged, and even what happens to waste after it leaves the kitchen.

For each of these scopes, we look at three areas to focus our efforts:

Bio: This is all about the environmental and biological impact—how the food, water, and waste affect nature.

Socio: This focuses on the people involved—students, teachers, staff, and families—and how to engage and educate them.

Tech: This includes the tools and technologies that can help, like energy-efficient appliances or apps to track food waste.

By addressing each scope with these three dimensions in mind, schools can take meaningful steps toward creating greener and more sustainable kitchens that benefit everyone.

Scope 1: Direct Emissions

Focus Areas:

Food Waste: Minimize food scraps during preparation and serving by monitoring usage and encouraging waste reduction behaviors.
Cooking Energy: Use efficient cooking practices and energy-saving appliances to reduce direct emissions.
Water Use: Optimize water consumption for cleaning and cooking processes.
Local Ingredients: Prioritize seasonal, local ingredients to cut emissions from transport and reduce spoilage.

Ideas for Improvement:

Bio: Turn food scraps into compost for school gardens and use local ingredients to support biodiversity.
Socio: Train staff and engage students in waste reduction campaigns, like a "Clean Plate Club."
Tech: Install energy-efficient appliances and smart waste bins to track and manage food waste effectively.

Scope 2: Indirect Emissions from Purchased Energy

Focus Areas:

Refrigeration Efficiency: Regularly maintain and optimize refrigeration to minimize energy use.
Lighting and HVAC Systems: Adopt efficient lighting and smart HVAC schedules to reduce power consumption.
Renewable Energy: Transition to renewable energy sources, like solar panels, to power kitchen operations.

Ideas for Improvement:

Bio: Use energy-efficient refrigeration systems to lower electricity use.
Socio: Raise awareness among staff about energy-saving habits, such as switching off unused equipment.
Tech: Implement IoT devices to track energy consumption and explore renewable energy solutions.

Scope 3: Indirect Emissions from the Value Chain

Focus Areas:

Sustainable Sourcing: Choose suppliers who prioritize eco-friendly practices and reduce carbon footprints.
Transportation Impact: Source ingredients locally to cut emissions from long-distance transport.
Packaging Waste: Opt for bulk purchasing and reusable or compostable packaging.
Community Engagement: Involve families and students in workshops and initiatives to extend sustainable practices beyond the school.

 

Ideas for Improvement:

Bio: Partner with local farmers to provide fresh, low-impact produce.
Socio: Host workshops to teach parents and students about sustainable eating and reducing waste.
Tech: Use digital tools to track supplier sustainability and manage food waste efficiently.

-Urban areas house countless unused spaces around schools, including rooftops and walls, that can be transformed into green roofs and vertical gardens to grow food, cool cities, and improve biodiversity.

-Modular indoor farming systems offer exciting ways to make even limited spaces productive, fostering STEM learning and increasing food resilience.

 

This initiative isn’t just about one pilot school; it’s about creating a scalable framework. By actively engaging students, teachers, families, and local communities, we can collectively transform school kitchens into innovation hubs. Together, we’ll redefine how cities grow food, manage waste, and educate future generations on sustainable living.