Document Type

Capstone Experience

Graduation Date

8-2024

Degree Name

Master of Public Health

Department

Environmental, Agricultural & Occupational Health

First Committee Member

Eleanor Rogan

Second Committee Member

Kristina Kintziger

Third Committee Member

Willa DiCostanzo

Abstract

Anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions significantly contribute to climate change. Methane is a potent GHG emitted in landfills as organic material breaks down. Food waste is the single most common item disposed of in Lincoln’s Bluff Road Landfill (LTU, 2022). As such, food waste disposal in the landfill is a preventable issue that could dramatically reduce GHG emissions in Lincoln. This project seeks to determine what barriers and motivations exist for reducing food waste at a consumer level. A literature review was conducted to find what behavior change campaigns and interventions have taken place nationwide to encourage residential food waste reduction. Behavior change can be influenced by the motivation to reduce waste, access to the tools and infrastructure that promote less waste, and the skills and knowledge required to perform less food-wasting behaviors. While few peer-reviewed studies on reducing food waste have been conducted, a selection of studies show that social norms, commitments, and education are all community-based social marketing strategies that can reduce food waste. The best interventions will utilize multiple strategies at once.

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