PT EC Re-Thinking Circular Economy

Students have come into contact with the products that are sold in the region where they live. For start the students had an information session with the city hall nutritionist whom is responsible for the creation of the canteen menus, about the importance of having a varied and balanced diet, the nutritional composition of products and the different ecological footprint between local and imported products. It was addressed the importance of the 5 R’s rules of waste management: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle.

At the end of the session with the nutritionist, students, in groups, created a questionnaire, with questions concerning the purchasing habits.

After this session some of the students went to a large supermarket in Marinha Grande where much of the fruits and vegetables sold, are imported, and made interviews to the costumers.

They also went to the local market where the producer himself sells his products and also made interviews to the costumers.

After knowing both options, students compared prices; the appearance of the products and the ecological footprint between the two situations. They collected pictures of the products and their prices.

Finally, they analyzed the results of the questionnaires in small groups and reflected on what influences people to buy local or imported products and discuss in class their conclusions.