The Forbidden City Museum in Beijing is educating visitors about zero-waste living through an immersive dining experience. The initiative comes as China ramps up its battle against food waste.
For its 3rd Zero-Waste Dining Culture Week, the museum transformed three restaurants using artwork and slogans. Diners can scan QR codes to learn how to properly sort garbage. The goal is to “cherish every grain without wasting anything.”
Together with the Vanke Foundation, the museum has also hosted 30 families to plant vegetables using compost. Kids got to tour zero-waste gardens with facilities like worm towers, getting hands-on lessons about recycling food scraps.
“It was more engaging than textbook learning,” said one mother.
The event aligns with China’s national food security campaign. In 2020, President Xi Jinping launched the “Clean Plate” movement to curb rising food waste. The plan also ties into sustainability goals.
Vanke Foundation also brought in Tsinghua University to track waste data and optimize management. It hopes to replicate this zero-waste dining model at other landmarks.
The project shows how China is pursuing creative solutions to pressing issues. Through the power of culture and innovation, both organizations aim to foster a conservation ethos at the ancient heart of Beijing.
