Background and objectives of activities

The situation in Japan has continued for a long time where materials, mainly food, are carried in > carried out, and various environmental problems have erupted. Therefore, it is an important issue to establish a material-circulating society related to food production: "local production of food → local consumption → compost production from waste → food production using the compost. In order to solve these issues, it is effective for elementary and junior high school students to learn material recycling from the viewpoint of food through hands-on experience, and this study aims to develop such teaching materials.

Summary of Activities

Food waste such as leftover food is composted by utilizing the power of soil organisms, and the compost is used to grow vegetables (See　diagram). The main activity is envisioned to take place during integrated learning time at elementary schools. Research is also being conducted to solve technical problems necessary for the activities, to elucidate the material cycle by soil organisms, and to develop problem-solving learning methods.

Expected Benefits

• The learner can acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to create a sustainable society.
• They can contribute to the creation of a sustainable food production system that enriches the soil-based ecosystem.
• Urban dwellers will be able to dispose of their own food waste and reduce their environmental impact.
• Food waste is regarded as a resource and converted into fertilizer. Contribute to the enhancement of environmentally friendly technologies and food production methods.
• By enhancing food production methods that do not use chemical fertilizers, we will promote research on environmentally friendly food production technologies that reduce the use of fossil energy. We can provide these technologies as educational materials for everyone to know and use.