Temporäre Ausstellung: Ernährungs- und Klimakommunikation

THE FINAL MOO-MENT

What can be seen on the poster?

The 'THE FINAL MOO-MENT', opens with a humorous take on the issue of cattle and their environmental impact, advocating for methane reduction through diet changes.

The core is a storytelling approach, where the retired cow is "relocated to Beanbados", a bizarre, happy, fictional paradise of "beans" with "Barbados." This setting with a "mensa" background, places the message in a university dining. The satire shows the simplicity of solving complex climate issues with a dietary switch, like replacing a cow with a bean. The cow's departure and the bean's arrival emphasize an action-oriented, present-focused solution, countering climate anxiety with hope. The aggressive humor, with statements like "Don't ask about the memories," uses confrontation to emphasize the need for dietary change. The "Problem solved" offers an immediate sense of success. It concludes with a clear call to action: "Try the new plant-based options in Mensa today!" The line," We need to move this stock," adds a relatable, everyday urgency beyond pure environmentalism.

What is special about the communication approach?

The poster combines humour with storytelling to address climate change in the context of nutrition. The satirical portrayal of a cow´s speech gives a lighthearted yet impactful take on how our food choices affect the climate (Kaltenbacher & Drews, 2020). This is amplified by an aggressive tone in phrases like "fart less CO₂," which aims to cut through public apathy and create a sense of urgency that more neutral approaches often miss.(Anderson & Becker, 2018). Through the present-focused narrative of the "Cow's Retirement" and its "relocation to Beanbados," the poster creates an engaging, imaginative story that makes climate change feel personal, reducing psychological distance (Sangalang & Bloomfield, 2018). It focuses on achievable actions, "tasty meals, planet saved", offering a practical solution without moralizing, thus resonating with a wide audience (Morris et al., 2019).

Ultimately creating new climate change narratives in nutrition requires a careful balance of humor and seriousness to avoid trivializing the issue. Satire should deepen discussion, not trivialize the message (Kaltenbacher & Drews, 2020), and visual metaphors or surreal storytelling can make complex topics more relatable (Sangalang & Bloomfield, 2018). Effective communication should empower action by offering practical, achievable steps than relying on fear or moral judgment (Morris et al., 2019).

Reflection

The communication approach of this poster links humor and storytelling, supported by visuals. Humorous narratives can disarm defensiveness and foster emotional engagement, particularly among young audiences (Skurka et al., 2018). The poster’s storyline uses bizarre elements (e.g., a cow at a press podium announcing her departure), maintains a happy tone, and avoids moral judgment. This amoral and playful framing reduces resistance and moral fatigue, which is common in climate change messaging (Boykoff & Osnes, 2019). Research shows that such humour-driven, storytelling-based communication can improve message recall and emotional engagement,  especially among young audiences (Nabi et al., 2007; Skurka et al., 2018). However, research shows that humour and storytelling alone rarely change behavior; they raise awareness and likability but need to be combined with broader interventions, such as changes in food environments or peer modelling, to influence actual dietary choices (Robinson et al., 2014). Thus, the poster effectively grabs attention and shifts attitudes but works best alongside systemic support.

Key information on the poster:

Communication Approach: Storytelling, humor, visuals

Message: This poster holds the message that shifting from animal-based foods to plant-based alternatives, such as legumes and pulses, can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lessen environmental pressure (Xu et al., 2021). By depicting a cheerful cow celebrating its "retirement," the poster humorously suggests that reducing meat consumption is not a loss, but a step toward a more sustainable future (Poore & Nemecek, 2018; Skurka et al., 2018). Scientific studies have shown that diets rich in plant-based proteins not only mitigate climate change but also support long-term food system resilience (Clark et al., 2019; Poore & Nemecek, 2018).

Target group: The poster targets students and other members of the university community who use the campus cafeteria ("Mensa"), focusing on young adults who frequently buy meals there. Research shows that many students see meat as essential to a healthy diet, with over 60% believing it is necessary and doubting the satisfaction of meatless meals (Wolfson et al., 2025). The poster aims to challenge these norms by reframing a plant-based meal as fun and climate-friendly. This audience is typically more receptive to communication that uses humour, internet culture, and visual storytelling (Skurka et al., 2018). This demographic is crucial for climate communication, as their dietary habits are still forming and can be shaped by sustainability messages (Graham & Abrahamse, 2017).

References

Anderson, A. A., & Becker, A. B. (2018). Not Just Funny After All: Sarcasm as a Catalyst for Public Engagement with Climate Change. Science Communication, 40(4), 524–540.

Boykoff, M., & Osnes, B. (2019). A Laughing matter? Confronting climate change through humor. Political Geography, 68, 154–163.

Clark, M. A., Springmann, M., Hill, J., & Tilman, D. (2019). Multiple health and environmental impacts of foods. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 116(46), 23357–23362.

Graham, T., & Abrahamse, W. (2017). Communicating the climate impacts of meat consumption: The effect of values and message framing. Global Environmental Change, 44, 98–108.

Kaltenbacher, M., & Drews, S. (2020). An Inconvenient Joke? A Review of Humor in Climate Change Communication. Environmental Communication, 14(6), 717–729.

Morris, B. S., Chrysochou, P., Christensen, J. D., Orquin, J. L., Barraza, J., Zak, P. J., & Mitkidis, P. (2019). Stories vs. facts: triggering emotion and action-taking on climate change. Climatic Change, 154(1-2), 19–36.

Nabi, R. L., Moyer-Gusé, E., & Byrne, S. (2007). All Joking Aside: A Serious Investigation into the Persuasive Effect of Funny Social Issue Messages. Communication Monographs, 74(1), 29–54.

Poore, J., & Nemecek, T. (2018). Reducing food's environmental impacts through producers and consumers. Science (New York, N.Y.), 360(6392), 987–992.

Robinson, E., Thomas, J., Aveyard, P., & Higgs, S. (2014). What everyone else is eating: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of informational eating norms on eating behavior. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 114(3), 414–429.

Sangalang, A., & Bloomfield, E. F. (2018). Mother Goose and Mother Nature: Designing Stories to Communicate Information About Climate Change. Communication Studies, 69(5), 583–604.

Skurka, C., Niederdeppe, J., Romero-Canyas, R., & Acup, D. (2018). Pathways of Influence in Emotional Appeals: Benefits and Tradeoffs of Using Fear or Humor to Promote Climate Change-Related Intentions and Risk Perceptions. Journal of Communication, 68(1), 169–193.

Wolfson, J. A., Altema-Johnson, D., Yett, A., Ali, E., Kim, B., Carr, N., Santo, R., Cho, C., Browning, G., & Ramsing, R. (2025). Climate change menu labels in a university cafeteria: Effects on student's diets, perceptions, and attitudes. Appetite, 211, 108001.

Xu, X., Sharma, P., Shu, S., Lin, T.‑S., Ciais, P., Tubiello, F. N., Smith, P., Campbell, N., & Jain, A. K. (2021). Global greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods are twice those of plant-based foods. Nature Food, 2(9), 724–732.

Image References
OpenAI. (2025). Cow at press podium with party hat [Digital image]. ChatGPT (AI conversational model).

We are all in the same boat

What can be seen on the poster?

The central element of our poster is photography of a boat. The background is light to draw the viewer’s attention to the boat in the middle. The boat is narrow and long with only one person wearing a hat on it. The rest of the space on the boat is occupied with bowls containing a variety of different fruits and vegetables in several different colours (Hegen, 2023). The title “We are all in the same boat” is written in capital letters above the boat. Below on the left, it is written “Prioritising plant-based foods: Good for you - good for your neighbor - good for the planet”. On the right side a QR-code with the information “Learn more about Planetary Health Diet” is placed.

Communication approach and what is special about it

Our communication approach for this poster relies on visuals and art to engage our target audience. We aim to attract people’s attention through aesthetics (Harvard & Hyvönen, 2023), using a clean and minimalistic design to highlight the central element: a boat filled with fruits and vegetables. This visual focus invites viewers to take a closer look.

The sentence “Prioritizing plant-based foods: Good for you - good for your neighbor - good for the planet” concisely communicates the main message. It highlights the health benefits of a plant-based diet (Willett et al., 2019), appeals to a sense of community (Burke, Ockwell, & Whitmarsh, 2018), and emphasizes the positive impact on the environment (Springmann et al., 2018). This tagline is designed to spark interest and guide viewers toward more detailed information, accessible via the QR code on the right-hand side of the poster.

Reflection

Creating this poster allowed us to reflect on the power of visual storytelling in raising awareness for complex issues like climate change and sustainable diets. We deliberately chose a minimalistic and aesthetic design to avoid overwhelming the viewer and instead invite curiosity. The boat filled with colourful fruits and vegetables served as a strong visual metaphor for shared responsibility and collective action, which is central to the message of the planetary health diet.

One of our key reflections was the importance of emotional engagement. By using the phrase “We are all in the same boat”, we aimed to evoke a sense of solidarity and urgency. We believe this emotional layer strengthens the message and encourages viewers not only to reflect, but to act. Another takeaway was the balance between simplicity and information. While the poster doesn’t provide detailed facts, it gives just enough to spark interest—offering a clear call to action via the QR code. We see this as a strength, as it meets people where they are and encourages further exploration rather than overwhelming them upfront.

Overall, we feel the poster communicates its message effectively by combining symbolism, emotional appeal, and clarity—showing that even small design choices can have a meaningful impact.

Key information on the poster

Communication approach: Visuals, art

Message: Our poster conveys the advantages of the planetary health diet (Willett et al., 2019). This is done by looking at the diet from three perspectives: One’s personal health (“Good for you”) (Willett et al., 2019), social responsibility (“good for your neighbor”) (Burke et al., 2018), and climate aspects (“good for the planet”) (Springmann et al., 2018). However, the last two aspects go hand in hand as “good for your neighbor” is aimed to allude to consequences of climate change that are directly noticeable in one’s personal environment (Reser, 2020). This sense of community regarding climate change is reinforced by the poster’s title “we are all in the same boat”. It plays on the metaphor of collective vulnerability and mutual dependence. In the context of climate change - sea-level rising, extreme weather events, rainfall, and floods (European Commission, 2025) - a boat becomes not only a metaphor but a literal symbol of survival. Our poster suggests that the planetary health diet could be part of the solution to the climate crisis (Karavasiloglou et al., 2024). By referencing the proverb “being in the same boat”, we aim to evoke emotions (Klöckner & Sommer, 2021) and a sense of community in the viewer (Burke et al., 2018). Because as humankind, we are in the same boat and have to take action against climate change altogether (Hormio, 2023).

Target group: This poster targets young adults. According to Bundeszentrum für Ernährung (2025), in Germany, Generation z is a key demographic for future food trends, because eating habits are formed and evolve during adolescence and young adulthood. In Germany, 12.3% of young adults are vegetarian or vegan. This percentage is growing each year, making them a key demographic to target (Bundeszentrum für Ernährung, 2025). However, there is room for growth. In a study of university educated young adults in Germany, only 17% saw vegetarian diets and 18.4% saw veganisms as part of a sustainable diet (Polleau and Biermann, 2021). It is important that this is addressed. According to a study on the dietary greenhouse gas emissions of Bavarian adults, the key barriers to sustainable eating were a high consumption of animal products, gaps between environmental beliefs and actual eating behaviours, and preference for local food over impactful behaviour change (like reducing meat). The solutions to these challenges include promoting a plant-based diet, implementing targeted public awareness and behavioural campaigns (Gimpfl et al., 2025) While communication shapes public understanding, drives behavioral change, and builds support for policies, a one-size-fits-all messaging doesn’t work, and effective outreach must be tailored to reflect audience values and beliefs (Verma et al., 2025). That is why this poster utilises visuals and arts to appeal to young adults’ sense of curiosity, community, and social responsibility to promote the planetary health diet.

References

Burke, M., Ockwell, D., & Whitmarsh, L. (2018). Participatory arts and affective engagement with climate change: The missing link in achieving climate compatible behaviour change? Global Environmental Change, 49, 95-105.

Bundeszentrum für Ernährung (bzfe). Bundeszentrum für Ernährung. (2025). https://www.bzfe.de/essen-und-gesundheit/newsletter-fuer-ernaehrungsfachkraefte/newsletter-01-2025-3/junge-erwachsene-als-treiber-der-ernaehrungstransformation

European Commission (2025). Consequences of climate change. https://climate.ec.europa.eu/climate-change/consequences-climate-change_en

Gimpfl, S., Schwarz, S., Rohm, F., Ohlhaut, N., Röger, C., Senger, M., Kussmann, M., Linseisen, J., & Gedrich, K. (2025). Dietary greenhouse gas emissions and resource use among Bavarian adults: Associations with sociodemographics and food choices. Frontiers in Nutrition, 12, 1542254.

Harvard, J., & Hyvönen, M. (2023). Gateway Visuals: Strategies of Climate Photographers in the Digital Age. Visual Communication Quarterly, 30(4), 221–233.

Hormio, M. (2023). Collective responsibility for climate change. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 14(2), e830. 

Klöckner, C. A., & Sommer, L. K. (2021). Visual art inspired by climate change—An analysis of audience reactions to 37 artworks presented during 21st UN climate summit in Paris. PloS One, 16(2), e0247331.

Karavasiloglou, N., Thompson, A. S., Pestoni, G., Suter, F., Papier, K., Cassidy, A., & Rohrmann, S. (2024). Emerging EAT‑Lancet planetary health diet is associated with major cardiovascular diseases and all‑cause mortality: A global systematic review and meta‑analysis. BMC Medicine.

Polleau, A., & Biermann, G. (2021). Eat local to save the planet? Contrasting scientific evidence and consumers' perceptions of healthy and environmentally friendly diets. Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, 3, 100054.

Reser, J. P. (2020). The nature, significance, and influence of perceived personal experience of climate change. WIREs Climate Change, 11(5), e668.

Springmann, M., Clark, M., Mason-D’Croz, D., Wiebe, K., Bodirsky, B. L., Lassaletta, L., ... & Scarborough, P. (2018). Options for keeping the food system within environmental limits. Nature, 562(7728), 519–525.

Willett, W., Rockström, J., Loken, B., Springmann, M., Lang, T., Vermeulen, S., ... & Murray, C. J. L. (2019). Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems. The Lancet, 393(10170), 447–492.

Verma, S., Haile, E., Adu, E., Chaudhry, L. (2025) Public Communication & Perception of Climate Change. Food, Health, and Climate Communication, Summer semester 2025. University of Bayreuth.

Image Reference

Hegen, T. (2023). Floating market series. https://www.tomhegen.com/collections/the-floating-market-series

Schnitzel with Extra CO₂ — No Microwave Needed, the Planet’s Already Cooking!

What can be seen on the poster?

The visual in the poster narrates a story that depicts the behavioural journey of a university student in Kulmbach campus opting for schnitzel even on “Meatless Mondays”, which symbolises a broader pattern of unsustainable dietary choices. The scenes capture the student's initial haste, total rejection of veggie options, and eventual confrontation with the environmental consequences of his actions. The storyline illustrates more than personal behaviour; it reveals a sense of cognitive dissonance and ethical unease that shows societal struggle with sustainable choices (by making visible gap between the student’s meat-eating habits and his environmental values) (Ioannidou et al. 2023; Rothgerber 2020). It also highlights the need for institutional interventions that go beyond the dissemination of information and instead implement emotionally resonant strategies to drive meaningful and climate-responsible action (Piras et al. 2022; Stoll-Kleemann and Schmidt 2017).

What is special about the communication approach?

The strength of this communication strategy lies in its narrative-based design, which fosters self-reflection and demonstrates an emotional connection between abstract climate challenges and individual behaviour, unlike conventional climate messages that often rely on statistical data or fear-based appeals. This approach uses relatable storytelling and moral framing, both of which have been demonstrated to enhance resonance across diverse demographics and ideological groups (Sangalang and Bloomfield 2018). Also, the integration of visual humour has been shown to reduce defensiveness and foster receptivity to climate communication, particularly among resistant audiences (Jones and Peterson 2017).

Reflection

This storytelling and sense of humour approach has significant potential to enhance climate change engagement in audiences, especially the younger ones. By framing climate-friendly diets as socially normative and morally commendable, while maintaining an accessible and humorous tone, the poster leverages identity and emotion to inspire change. This aligns with studies showing that narrative-based communication improves understanding and motivates action more effectively than fact-based messages (Morris et al. 2019).

Key information on the poster

Communication approach: Storytelling, moral framing, visual humour

Message: This poster aims to raise awareness about the connection between climate change, specifically extreme heat and everyday food choices. By highlighting the hidden carbon footprint of commonly consumed dishes like pork schnitzel, it encourages more climate conscious eating habits.

Target group: University students and working professionals aged 20 – 45 years who frequently dine at the University of Bayreuth’s Mensa in Kulmbach. Pork schnitzel, a popular and regularly served dish, is used as a central visual and narrative element to engage the audience emotionally and encourage reflection on their food choices and their climate impact (Jones and Peterson 2017).

References

Ioannidou, Maria; Lesk, Valerie; Stewart-Knox, Barbara; Francis, Kathryn B. (2023): Feeling morally troubled about meat, dairy, egg, and fish consumption: Dissonance reduction strategies among different dietary groups. In Appetite 190, p. 107024.

Jones, Michael D.; Peterson, Holly (2017): Narrative Persuasion and Storytelling as Climate Communication Strategies. In Michael D. Jones, Holly Peterson (Eds.): Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Climate Science: Oxford University Press.

Morris, Brandi S.; Chrysochou, Polymeros; Christensen, Jacob Dalgaard; Orquin, Jacob L.; Barraza, Jorge; Zak, Paul J.; Mitkidis, Panagiotis (2019): Stories vs. facts: triggering emotion and action-taking on climate change. In Climatic Change 154 (1-2), pp. 19–36

Piras, Simone; Righi, Simone; Setti, Marco; Koseoglu, Nazli; Grainger, Matthew J.; Stewart, Gavin B.; Vittuari, Matteo (2022): From social interactions to private environmental behaviours: The case of consumer food waste. In Resources, Conservation and Recycling 176, p. 105952.

Rothgerber, Hank (2020): Meat-related cognitive dissonance: A conceptual framework for understanding how meat eaters reduce negative arousal from eating animals. In Appetite 146, p. 104511.

Sangalang, Angeline; Bloomfield, Emma Frances (2018): Mother Goose and Mother Nature: Designing Stories to Communicate Information About Climate Change. In Communication Studies 69 (5), pp. 583–604.

Stoll-Kleemann, Susanne; Schmidt, Uta Johanna (2017): Reducing meat consumption in developed and transition countries to counter climate change and biodiversity loss: a review of influence factors. In Reg Environ Change 17 (5), pp. 1261–1277. 

Image Reference

www.chatgpt.com

Eat like the future depends on it - Planetary Health Diet

What can be seen on the poster?

The poster highlights a smiling Earth holding a basket of healthy foods, symbolizing both approval and a gentle plea for sustainable choices. A group of students is seen discussing food choices, highlighting social learning and peer influence. Visuals of body organs emphasize that healthy food is good for the body and the planet. The color palette, primarily light green, symbolizes environmental empathy and a call to eat more greens. The storytelling indicates two students in the Mensa of Universität Bayreuth reflecting on how their food choices affect personal health and the environment. They conclude, “Every fork matters,” lifting their forks to affirm that our forks are tools for change.

The fork becomes a central symbol throughout the poster, a metaphor not just for eating, but for making conscious, daily decisions that influence global systems. By connecting a familiar object to a large-scale challenge like climate change, the poster creates a powerful narrative bridge between the personal and the planetary.

The smiling Earth holding the food basket also functions as an emotional appeal. It invites empathy and portrays sustainability not as sacrifice, but as a positive, life-affirming choice. The basket contains recognizable, colorful, whole foods, encouraging identification and feasibility. Additionally, a QR code is embedded in the design, linking viewers to extended content and practical tips, such as sustainable meal ideas and information about the Planetary Health Diet. This adds an interactive element, turning passive viewing into potential action.

What is special about the communication approach?

This poster uses framing theory by embedding the "Planetary Health Diet" within the climate action discourse. Framing shapes perception by emphasizing sustainable eating not only as a dietary choice but also as a climate intervention (Onwezen, 2023).
It avoids guilt-based messaging and instead uses positive visual cues (smiling Earth, healthy organs) and empowerment through narrative. This approach aligns with findings that positive emotions, especially hope and efficacy, are more likely to promote pro-environmental behavior (Zeier et al., 2025; Zelenski & Desrochers, 2021). The use of visual storytelling and peer context resonates with younger audiences, especially in a university setting where peer influence shapes behavior (Duarte, 2010).

Reflection

The communication approach used in the poster, combining framing, storytelling, and visual art, is a powerful way to influence sustainable food choices among university students (Nutbeam, 2000; Ramírez et al., 2019). By using the Planetary Health Diet as a frame, the poster connects personal health with environmental impact, encouraging students to see every meal as a climate action (Cacau et al., 2021).

The narrative of two students discussing food in the university cafeteria makes the message relatable and localized. The visual elements, a smiling Earth, healthy organs, and green color tones, evoke positive emotions like hope and empathy, which research shows are more effective than fear in motivating climate action (Metag, 2020).

This method supports the development of new cultural frames around food that go beyond taste and cost, positioning sustainability as a core value (Matthew C. Nisbet & Todd P. Newman, 2015). It also fosters a sense of personal agency by emphasizing that "your fork is a tool for change," helping students feel empowered to make a difference (Whitmarsh et al., 2012). Overall, this approach promotes climate literacy, emotional engagement, and long-term behavioral change, making it a valuable tool for education and advocacy in the context of planetary health (Wibeck, 2014).

Key information on the poster

Communication approach: Framing, storytelling, visual art

Message: The poster communicates that every food choice we make impacts both our personal health and the planet. Eating sustainably is not just a personal benefit but a responsibility toward the Earth.

Target group: The target audience is health- and climate-conscious university students, specifically within the University of Bayreuth’s Mensa (cafeteria) context. Students are often at a transformative stage of building long-term habits. The poster relates to their food culture by depicting campus dining scenes and highlighting the availability of healthy, affordable options.

References

Cacau, L. T., Carli, E. de, Carvalho, A. M. de, Lotufo, P. A., Moreno, L. A., Bensenor, I. M., & Marchioni, D. M. (2021). Development and Validation of an Index Based on EAT-Lancet Recommendations: The Planetary Health Diet Index. Nutrients, 13(5), 1698.

Duarte, N. (2010). Resonate: Present visual stories that transform audiences. Wiley.

Matthew C. Nisbet, & Todd P. Newman. (2015). Framing, the media, and environmental communication. In The Routledge Handbook of Environment and Communication (pp. 345–358). Routledge.

Metag, J. (2020). Climate change visuals: a review of their effects on cognition, emotion and behaviour. In Research Handbook on Communicating Climate Change. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Nutbeam, D. (2000). Health literacy as a public health goal: a challenge for contemporary health education and communication strategies into the 21st century. Health Promotion International, 15(3), 259–267.

Onwezen, M. C. (2023). Goal-framing theory for sustainable food behaviour: The added value of a moral goal frame across different contexts. Food Quality and Preference, 105, 104758.

Ramírez, A. S., Ramondt, S., van Bogart, K., & Perez-Zuniga, R. (2019). Public Awareness of Air Pollution and Health Threats: Challenges and Opportunities for Communication Strategies To Improve Environmental Health Literacy. Journal of Health Communication, 24(1), 75–83.

Whitmarsh, L., Lorenzoni, I., & O'Neill, S. (2012). Engaging the Public with Climate Change (0th ed.). Routledge.

Wibeck, V. (2014). Enhancing learning, communication and public engagement about climate change – some lessons from recent literature. Environmental Education Research, 20(3), 387–411.

Zeier, P., Lange, F., Rowland, Z., Wessa, M., & Wenzel, M. (2025). A glimmer of hope: Pro-environmental behavior increases positive emotions after confrontation with environmental threat. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 103, 102575.

Zelenski, J. M., & Desrochers, J. E. (2021). Can positive and self-transcendent emotions promote pro-environmental behavior? Current Opinion in Psychology, 42, 31–35.