Save our future – Save the rice!

Some pupils dispose rice which they cannot finish.

We hoped that pupils would be able to tell the

canteen vendors how much rice they want so as

to reduce food waste (one of the 3Rs).

Observations

Proposed solution

We hoped to come up with a ‘standardized’ way

of scooping rice so that pupils can tell the

canteen vendors how much rice they wish to

eat. This is to reduce wastage of rice.

Action – data collection

The environmental club members measure the

amount of rice disposed by P1 and P4

environmental club members during the breaks.

This data is to be compared with the rice waste

after the project to see if the project works!

Collection of Data (29/7 to 31/7)

Pupils are told to dispose the left-over rice,

into the bins.

Data from 29/7 to 31/7

Amount of rice waste

collected(g)

29/7 860

30/7 1150

31/7 760

Actions

Target: To reduce wastage by 20%

-A talk to the Pr.1 and Pr. 4 pupils on the

scarcity of rice and introduce the new way of

ordering rice

-Measure the rice disposed from 27/8 to 28/8

Actions

After buying several bowls, we ‘arrived’ at a

suitable size. 3 canteen vendors were given 1

bowl each to scoop rice.

Samples of rice scoops that we have bought

Contents of the talk

-Video that shows the growing process of the

rice plants

Plastic rice scare in Asia

(China and Indonesia)

A stall-owner had suspected something was amiss when her customers suffered an upset stomach in Indonesia.

One lab test showed traces of the synthetic plastic polymer, which is used to make bottles and pipes.

If Indonesia is unable to produce enough rice to feed its 250 million-strong population, the impact is that Singapore might not be able to import rice. Hence there is scarcity of rice.

Contents of the talk

Eat healthily!

Contents of the talk

How much is enough?

Fruits and vegetables:

Recommendations

Age No. of servings in a day

3 – 6 years old 1 serving fruit and

1 serving vegetables

7 – 18 years old 2 servings fruits and

2 servings vegetables

2 + 2!!!

Source: www.hpb.gov.sg

My Healthy Plate

Source: www.hpb.gov.sg

Remember to tell the stall owner the amount

of rice you wish to eat before ordering.

Small portion (1 scoop)

Big portion (2 scoops)

Sample of poster displayed at the canteen

How to order your portion of rice

When you think a small portion of rice is enough,

Hi Auntie, can I have one scoop of rice with meat and vegetables?

Sample of poster displayed at the canteen

How to order your portion of rice

When you think you are very hungry,

Hi Auntie, can I have two scoops of rice with meat and vegetables?

Sample of poster displayed at the canteen

P4 Environmental Club helpers

Duties: - remind the pupils to ORDER the

rice

- dispose the left over rice, meat and

vegetables into the right bin

-weigh the left over rice, meat and

vegetables

Data from 27/8 to 28/8

Amount of rice waste

collected(g)

29/7 470

30/7 610

31/7 710

Amount of rice waste

collected(g)

29/8 recess 860

29/8 lunch 1150

30/8 recess 760

Generally, there was a

more than 30%

decrease on the first 2

days.

Pupils have been taught a way on how to tell stall

owners how much rice they wish to eat.

Pupils are more aware that they should consume

food from other categories (eg. proteins and

vitamins), instead of more rice (carbonhydrates)

to keep a trim and fit body.

Interviews can be conducted with P2 to P6 pupils

to gauge the amount of rice they wish to eat,

before introducing to them the way of ordering.

Impacts of the project …….

Other than paying for the costs of the weighing

scales, bowls and scoops, our corporate partner,

RAM SMAG Lifting Technologies Pte Ltd can

help us source for suitable bowls, rice scoops or

even rice mould with handles.

If possible, they can sponsor some healthy

eating wall stickers at the canteen to remind

pupils on what to eat.

The project (way of ordering rice) would be rolled

out to the whole school in 2016.

Plans for next year

Thank you for your attention.

Remember to

Save our future – Save

the rice!