In Korea custom, the meal serves with many side dishes, and leftover that created food waste is always an issue. The initial of the project started back to 2006, it had been done by campaign, carried out in University, local schools, and Tongyeong City Hall. It is well known by local people and is one the best ESD project of RCE Tongyeong.

The project promoted into the tourist level in 2013. It took place at a local traditional market-Seoho Market. It is one of the main local food restaurant areas where many tourist visit. 5 restaurants in Seoho Market participate. The owner of the restaurant tells costumers take the dishes they want, encourage them return the side dishes they would not eat, and finish all the food.

This project initiated by RCE Tongyeong Informal Education committee (IEC). It set out under one of the IEC vision: sustainable life style. It is guided and evaluated by IEC. 6 core members from IEC visit the restaurant once a month to collect the feedback from owner and costumers. RCE Tongyeong play the role of coordination, promotion and link up with other partners.

Local people talk about the project very often, not only limited at the market, but in office and home, they also practice “clean plate” in their daily lives to reduce food waste.

Costumers (tourist) show positive response, they took photos of all the empty plates and uploaded to internet (SNS), showing they are proud of “clean the plates” with no leftover. The concept of reduce consuming unnecessary that save money and resources has planted in people’s mind.

This project implemented by members of participating institutes of IEC. In order to develop Sustainable Tongyeong, they design this project as practical initiatives and RCE Tongyeong secretariat gives supports. It is totally a voluntary participation base and a bottom up process. Participants establish the sense of ownership of the project and vision of sustainable life style. They realized their behavior make changes, and influence other people (local to national). The community has set a good example in SD implementation. IEC network has spread and rooted in general public.

This project set up a good example of local communities self initiated implements SD practices collaboratively. It gives strong impression for other institutes or partners.

“Clean plate movement” is a representative ESD project in Tongyeong. General public in all levels know about that. With the implementation in local traditional market, it is significant in promote ECO-tourism of Tongyeong city. It is a collaborative project involving different NGOs, partners and sectors. Also it is a networking bottom up process ESD project implementation.