Solve a World Problem

Rural U.S. Hunger

U.S. Hunger

Evidence of Work

Our Process

We first began our project of tackling a world problem by brainstorming possible problems. These included water pollution, climate change, and world hunger. We decided on World Hunger as it sounded the most fun. We then brainstormed possible solutions to this issue, these included, recycling food, educating people on quality diets, and introducing food banks. From this group, we chose to introduce food banks. We quickly realized that world hunger was too big of a problem to solve on its own so we localized it to just hunger in the U.S. After splitting up and starting our research we found that rural communities had the most food insecurity.

Seeing as rural communities have the highest rates of food insecurity it only made sense to implement food banks in these areas. Our next task was to figure out how much setting up food banks cost. After a while of searching, we decided to have no food banks constructed and instead, we would house the food in schools.

Our next task was to figure out how much it would be to transport the food to the schools. Taking an average cost of 4250 Lbs of a variety of food groups (according to the USDA), the cost of 34,000 Lbs of food is $110,500. Assuming the cost of $2 per mile for a semi and an average of 75 miles round trip, the total came out to $110,650 per truckload. We found that for 20 food banks in every state to receive a truckload every week it would cost the government $5.75 billion annually.

Ask (what is the need): Our initial goal was to end world food insecurity.

Research: We began to research all about food security, not just in the U.S. but in the whole world.

Imagine possible solutions: Recycle food, educate people on quality diets, or introduce food banks

Plan: We chose to introduce government subsidized food banks in rural communities (in the U.S.) as they have low access to cheap and healthy grocery stores.

Create a prototype: We began work on our pitch to the Office of Retailers in the USDA.

Test and evaluate: We ran through our slideshow to see how it would sound and edited it accordingly.

Improve: We added graphs to serve as evidence as well as calculating specific costs to serve as close estimates.

Analyzing graphs

This graphs shows the average cost of retail goods. I took the average costs of the main groups of food and added them to the total cost of shipment.

Reflection

Throughout this project, my group and I researched a problem affecting hundreds of millions across the globe, zeroed in on a specific area, and built a pitch for the USDA. During this project, I believe that I did a bit more work than my groupmates and was on task more. I believe that I did especially well in assisting with my group's needs and questions about what our plans were. Another thing I believe that I did well at was my collaboration. I tried my best to distribute work to each of my groupmates'. An area that I think I can improve on is asking more for my groupmates' input regarding the design of our project. I also believe that I could have done a better job being less stressed about completing the project on time.

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