Food Waste as a Classic Problem that Calls for Interdisciplinary Solutions: A Case Study Illustration

Abstract

In 2015, the United States generated over 250 million tons of municipal solid waste. Of this, food products comprised nearly 15% of this waste. Food waste is a major contributor to greenhouse gasses and subsequent climate change. Ongoing examination from the vantage of multiple academic disciplines is needed to understand and work toward solutions for this “wicked” problem. The University of Maine's interdisciplinary Materials Management team, composed of a psychologist, nurse scientist, environmental/civil engineer, anthropologist, food scientist, and economist, works to examine and guide food waste solutions. Strategies to achieve successful interdisciplinary approaches for addressing sustainability problems include authentic listening, stakeholder engagement, and student participation. For example, the work of the psychologist brings attitude/behavior/organizational understanding and expertise to the interdisciplinary team with aims to implement strategies for outcome‐oriented solutions. Overcoming disciplinary language barriers and securing interdisciplinary grant funding are examples of challenges that must be addressed if interdisciplinary teams are to succeed.

Could Vegans and Lycra Cyclists be Bad for the Planet? Theorizing the Role of Moralized Minority Practice Identities in Processes of Societal‐Level Change

“…Almost all of the activities people participate in on a daily basis have implications for our collective ability to achieve environmental sustainability, that is, to meet our current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs (Brundtland, ). Practices of everyday dietary sustenance (Ginn & Lickel, ), mobility Barr () and material consumption (Cox, Giorgi, Sharp, Strange, Wilson, & Blakey [] Saber & Silka, ), and the interrelationships between them (Dreyer et al., ), have a significant impact on our progress toward achieving a variety of environmental objectives, including lowering greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality, and reducing ground and water consumption and contamination. However, despite the relative mainstreaming of attitudinal concern about such matters within many modern industrialized nations (Capstick et al., ; Dunlap & Mertig, ), the kinds of practices that might lead to more environmentally sustainable outcomes remain minority pursuits in many contexts.…”

Sustainable Consumption: The Psychology of Individual Choice, Identity, and Behavior

“…paper is how disposable the object is—in other words, under which conditions it is likely to become waste. Here, many of the issues raised by Saber and Silka (2020) become salient. Judge et al.…”

“…For example, Judge et al. (2020) present two experiments demonstrating that methods of production (as art, craft, or mass‐produced) affect the perceived inherent value of an object and its perceived sustainability and disposability; meanwhile, Saber and Silka (2020) describe a multidisciplinary team‐based experience, incorporating food scientists, nurses, economists, engineers, and anthropologists as well as social psychologists, all focused on reducing food waste within a large hospital. The schematic in Figure 2 thus illustrates how many of the articles—especially the empirical articles—in the special issue are (necessarily) narrow in scope since they focus on one part of the process through which sustainable consumption may (or may not) occur.…”

Improving Research on the Psychology of Sustainable Consumption: Some Considerations from an Early Career Perspective

“…Diverse perspectives can enrich research processes and outcomes; however, balancing disparate expectations and integrating knowledge can be challenging. Researching within teams that are transdisciplinary (i.e., those aiming to integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines; see Lorek & Vergragt, 2012), or involving industry partners, offers many benefits (see Saber & Silka, 2020). Yet, integrating team members' diverse perspectives poses challenges that affect both the design and outcomes of research projects (Schoot Uiterkamp & Vlek, 2007).…”