Date of Award

5-2019

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Departmental Honors

Department

Journalism and Communication

Abstract

Scandinavia leads the world with its devotion to sustainability and promotion of eco-friendly lifestyles. With concerns over climate change affecting the Nordic region, Scandinavian governments have taken an active role in creating national food strategies. So, what can Utah learn from the Nordic region? Ranking 45th in the nation for access to local food, Utah does not produce enough food to sustain itself for the future. With a background in environmental journalism, I traveled to Scandinavia during the summer of 2019 to explore Scandinavia's commitment to sustainable foods as a model for Utah. I examined modern and historical sustainable foods, beverage, and waste management in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The purpose of my project was to better understand Scandinavia's practices in order to educate my local community and inspire them to be more culturally and environmentally sustainable.

I developed the following research questions:

Answered through digital storytelling

1. Throughout history, how have Scandinavians consumed animals, seafood, edible plants or produce, coffee, tea, or alcohol and in what ways were their production methods sustainable?

2. How do Scandinavians and their governmental policies and advertisements present sustainable foodways to the public?

Answered through live event and Utah's connections research

3. What were the sustainable food and beverage practices of early Scandinavian immigrants in Cache Valley?

To answer the first two questions, I documented my observations of modern and historical Scandinavian practices with photography, video blogs, interviews, and journaling on my trip. For the first research question, my results showed that local and organic foods are the norm, green space was prevalent, and recycling and composting is prioritized daily. I observed advertisements for organic and fresh foods on signs, magazines, and store fronts. I observed balconies with plants, parks with lots of trees or edible plants, and backyard gardening. I observed robust recycling and composting bins with detailed instructional signs mandated by the government. For the second research question, my research showed that Scandinavians value sustaining their cultural practices relating to sustainable foods. When visiting open-air museums, I observed practices such as food preservation, foraging edible or medicinal plants, and the conservation of animal products.

To answer the third question, I conducted research at USU's library and special collections. My results revealed that Scandinavian immigrants brought their knowledge of sustainable farming to Utah. They were the first to create irrigation systems, co-ops, and dairy farms. Through the Relief Society, Mormon Scandinavian pioneers foraged plants to dye clothing or make jewelry. I also conducted public relations planning to develop a live event that would explore Utah's connections to Scandinavian ancestry and sustainable foods. On April 15, over 30 local vendors and 455 attendees joined for the Nourishing Nordics celebration at Utah State University. Activities included sustainable food tasting, Scandinavian performance and dance, pioneer heritage, and booths about sustainable living. Results of the participant surveys revealed positive interest, increased knowledge in Scandinavian history, usefulness of the information presented, interest in having more sustainable food products on campus, and plans to use sustainable practices in the future.

The findings of my research trip and live event are showcased in a blog on my website: www.sustainablenordicfoods.com.

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Faculty Mentor

Kelsey Hall

Departmental Honors Advisor

Mark Koven

Capstone Committee Member

Heidi Hart

Co-Faculty Mentor

Sarah Gordon