Nowon-gu Integrates Climate Crisis Response into Nutrition Education... Operates "The Bareun Table" Program

Nowon-gu in Seoul (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) is operating a nutrition education program called "The Bareun Table," which considers both personal health and the global environment.

Scene from the TheBarunSiktak cooking practice held at the nutrition kitchen on the 2nd floor of Madeul Health Center last November. Provided by Nowon-gu.

원본보기 아이콘

This program promotes "ecological nutrition education," which expands climate crisis response to include dietary education. It focuses on helping participants understand carbon emissions generated during the food production and consumption processes, as well as providing guidance on selecting ingredients and cooking methods that help reduce these emissions. It also offers direction on practicing low-carbon dietary habits, centering on meal plans that use seasonal ingredients and the value of plant-based diets.

The education is experiential, combining theory with practical cooking sessions. Participants directly prepare vegan dishes using seasonal vegetables, learning cooking techniques that preserve nutrients and methods to use all parts of the ingredients without waste. The curriculum integrates macrobiotic (from "macro" meaning large + "biotic" meaning life-a healthy dietary approach) perspectives with nutritional cooking science, enabling participants to comprehensively study the relationship between food and the environment.

The program also emphasizes the importance of choosing seasonal ingredients and consuming locally grown agricultural products. It is designed to go beyond simply conveying knowledge, enabling participants to review every step from ingredient selection to cooking and consumption, so that the practices continue even after the education is complete.

The program is open to residents of Nowon-gu, who can apply through the Nowon-gu Health Center website. Registration for the April program has already closed due to full capacity, but additional recruitment is scheduled for July this year.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, stated, "Healthy eating habits not only improve individual quality of life but are also linked to climate crisis response," adding, "We will continue to expand hands-on educational programs that protect both the environment and individual health."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.