Meet Kirk Fonseca, who has started up his own not-for-profit organisation to help crack down on food waste and feed uni students.
What do you do at ANU?
I'm pursuing my Masters in Business Administration at the College of Business and Economics.
What is your favourite spot on campus?
The centre of Union Court.
I like it because...
It exudes the rich and vibrant atmosphere of student life at ANU.
If I were free for an afternoon, I would...
Go motorbike touring with a group of mates around the outskirts of Canberra.
What is Student Bites?
Student Bites is a not-for-profit movement that aims to reduce food waste (produce/perishables) from big supermarkets in Canberra and provide this excess food free of cost to students at ANU.
How did you come up with the idea?
In my first two months of working at a one of the biggest supermarkets/retail chains in Canberra, I was made aware of the amount of excess fresh produce discarded away on a regular basis in order to make room for newly arrived stock at the store.
I grew up in the second most populated country in the world, where demand for bread, fruits and vegetables exceed supply. This made me realise that something could be done about the situation here in Canberra where, on the contrary, there is a surplus of food and all that was needed was to create a link to bring this surplus food to those who would benefit from it instead of it ending up in the dumpsters.
What are you hoping to achieve through this initiative?
Through Student Bites and our key partners and supporters The Yellow Van, ANU and a few big supermarket chains in Canberra, we're hoping to reduce the level of food waste from large supermarkets and create a channel where excess food is made available to anyone who would benefit from it.
How can people get involved?
So far, Student Bites is going really well. When we did our pilot run last year, we got around 35 students who said they would be interested in volunteering. We are always looking for volunteers though, so anyone interested can email me.
