LM3 Part 1: What are some of the ways that others have integrated sustainability into practice? (~1.5 hours)

While most dietitians agree that SFS is an important topics for dietetics, we should highlight that not everyone agrees. Some feel that this is an area of specialization. Your career is, of course, your own journey, and we encourage you to think of sustainability as a lens through which you look, rather than a particular set of dietary guidelines or actions you must add to your workload.

To explore the question guiding this section, we ask that you examine a few Case Studies which provide some examples of work that D-N practitioners have been involved in. These might inspire sustainable decision-making in your practice. They show a wide variety of types of work, using different roles, and from different regions. We will periodically add to the case studies to refresh examples for you.

Watch (~5 min)

The video below highlights research conducted at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada, focused on making hospital menus healthier, tastier, and more sustainable. This initiative showcases the importance of collaboration between various health professionals, demonstrating that creating a sustainable food system requires multidisciplinary teamwork.

Toward greener, healthier hospital menus | Transforming hospital food systems | Planetary health (youtube.com) (3 mins)
Presented by the Faculty of Medicine at UBC

Read (~1 hour)

Below are 4 examples from our case studies page (or choose others that you find most interesting and relevant).

Reflect (~25 min)

After watching the video and reading through the case studies, reflect on the following questions:

1. Choose 2-3 examples of ways that food systems are unsustainable and impacting nutritional health in your area.

2. What solutions do you see that offer synergistic improvements in nutrition and sustainability? 
   • Tip, see Learning Module 2 for example role papers for actionable ideas.
   • Ask yourself:
     • What are ways that you can help make sustainable and healthy food part of menus where you work?
     • What are ways you can help clients make sustainable dietary choices?
     • What are ways that you can create or support policy that supports sustainable food systems (including dietary patterns)?

3. What will encourage decision-makers in your organization or community to see the value of providing healthy and sustainable food?

Keep Learning (optional)

• Connect with people in your region to find out if there are any leaders in the field that you can turn to for idea-sharing and mentoring.
  • One option is to connect with “Nutritionists for Sustainability” on social media:
    • ➤ Request to join the WhatsApp group.
    • ➤ Request the LinkedIn group.

• The UBC Centre for Sustainable Food Systems has developed a case study to educate people about  Indigenous Food Sovereignty. This case study aims to deepen understanding of the importance of Indigenous communities’ rights to define their own food systems. The case study takes about 1-2 hours to read and reflect on the questions posed. There are numerous extra reference materials provided that would take additional time to read and digest.

• Did you like the YouTube video about UBC’s work with hospitals that you watched at the beginning of this section? Then you might like to watch Planetary Health Menus in Action: A Fireside Chat with Vancouver Coastal Health on Reducing Climate Impact and Elevating Patient Care (YouTube link, 1:25:44) which is a recording of a 2024 December webinar featuring Darcia Pope, VP, Strategy, Innovation and Planetary Health ; Dr. Annie Lalande, UBC Planetary Healthcare Lab; and Chef Ned Bell, hosted by Nourish. Description: With growing consensus on the benefits to patient health and our shared planet, join us as we dive into Plant-Forward Menus in healthcare settings. Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) shares about multiple enabling factors to unlock the incredible potential of modernized menus that build better health for people and the planet. Discover how VCH reimagined healthcare menus to reduce environmental impact while maintaining patient satisfaction. This webinar highlights the roles of senior leadership, the food services team, and culinary leaders in driving the successful Planetary Health Menus pilot project. Learn actionable insights and gain inspiration to make sustainable menu changes in your organization, with plenty of time for your questions.

Congratulations on finishing Part 1 of Learning Module 3!

Continue to LM3 Part 2: Are there any tools that I can use and adapt for use in my practice? (~1.5 hours)

Return to the Learning Modules’ Main Page

This Toolkit is made to be used & shared - feel free!
Please cite the authors of the resources (and the ICDA SFS Toolkit if you can).

Feedback? Questions? Ideas? Contact the ICDA SFS Coordinator:
ICDAsfs.coordinator@acadiau.ca