The Earth’s environment and climate is rapidly changing. There are many theories on why this is, but perhaps the greatest cause is the combined actions of today’s society. Our lifestyles may not directly influence the Earth, however the truth is really not that far off. While the environment and climate are local to individual regions, the entire Earth is interconnected and interactive, so the overall fate of our planet is the same. We humans are all on the same boat, living on our planet Earth.

Saving the earth is not an easy process, but we can start by decreasing the burden on our local environment. The National Dong Hwa University of Taiwan presents an example by introducing a green and organic lifestyle to the campus and student body through two initiatives: the Campus Healthy and Organic Lunch Program, and the Campus Green Kitchen Program. Change can be achieved by emphasizing education and an individual’s daily lifestyle, from small to big steps.

The Campus Healthy and Organic Lunch Program of Dong Hwa University is still in the development stage after being launched in November 2009. This program focuses on five features: nutrition, health, environmentally friendly practices, local products, and fair trade. Ingredients in meals must have a low food mileage of being produced within a 10 km radius, and people participating in the program must provide their own reusable containers and utensils. The program has since provided 500 servings to campus students and faculty. While this may not be a large number yet, it still means the Earth has been saved from 500 portions of waste from disposable cutlery and plates.

The Campus Green Kitchen Program was introduced in February 2010. It consists of a new university course that is open to all students at Dong Hwa University and emphasizes fieldwork and self-involvement. Students experience environmentally friendly farming practices without pesticides by working alongside local farmers, and then learn how to cook healthy and organic meals in the campus kitchen that can then be applied to cooking at home. Materials for the course are provided through fair trade with local farmers for organic and pesticide-free products, buying at profitable prices to the farmers to encourage environmentally friendly practices. At the end of the semester, the students will cook a meal for campus faculty using their newly learned knowledge of organic and healthy cooking, and explain and share their own experiences about green living. It is expected that within this short period of time, the program can introduce and spread the concepts and practices of green and organic living throughout the whole campus.

University campuses are the launching places for society’s educated individuals. After graduation, students enter society’s workforce and establish their own families and households. The ideas and practices they learn on campus about a green and organic lifestyle are like seeds they can spread and grow throughout society.

Keywords: organic farming and agriculture, green and environmentally-friendly lifestyle, campus kitchen, nutritious meals, local products, food mileage, fair trade, National Dong Hwa University