Empowering Designers in a Circular Approach to Organic Waste Management: Sustainability for Food Retail Sectors

Abstract

In the United States, approximately 120 billion pounds of food are wasted per year, which equates to about 40% of all total food produced (Recycle Track Systems, 2023). When considering the impacts of the current business model, negative and harmful effects can be seen throughout communities and the environment. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the implications of the U.S. food system post-industrialization to first understand how that system’s conditions came to be and how it not only impacts other countries but the planet as well. Then the paper analyzes societal pressures towards improving economic, environmental, and social responsibility through a global and national case study. This aids in validating current methods used and identifying opportunities for circularity within the food system . Finally, it presents a comprehensive framework for addressing organic waste management in food retail sectors through a circular and systematic approach. This provides actionable steps for designers to improve the sectors’ environmental responsibility in an adaptable and scalable manner that encourages systemic collaboration between key stakeholders in the U.S. food system.