Household Food Waste: Systems Thinking for Sustainable Solutions

This essay examines the critical role of systems thinking in developing sustainable solutions to the wicked problem of household food waste. It highlights the significant economic, environmental, and social impacts of food waste, particularly in developed nations where consumer behavior is a major contributing factor. The essay discusses the relationship between the wicked problem and the three pillars of sustainability, emphasizing the importance of understanding consumer perceptions and behaviors related to food waste. It further elaborates on how systems thinking, with its holistic approach and consideration of interconnected factors, can be implemented to address this complex sustainability concern, offering strategies such as harm minimization, comprehensive approaches, and balanced policies. The analysis includes the application of tools like impact diagrams to illustrate the potential aspects of a household food waste prevention system, advocating for new and existing strategies to effectively tackle the challenge of food waste and promote a more sustainable interaction between society, economy, and the environment. Desklib provides access to similar essays and resources for students.

Running head: SYSTEMS THINKING IN DEALING WITH SUSTIANABILITY
CHALLENGES
Systems Thinking is Critical in Developing Solutions to Sustainability Challenges:
Household Food Waste
Name of the University:
Name of the Student:
Authors Note:

1SYSTEMS THINKING IN DEALING WITH SUSTIANABILITY CHALLENGES
Introduction
In order to explain the statement “Systems Thinking is Critical in Developing
Solutions to Sustainability Challenges: Household Food Waste” the “household food waste”
in the nation will be taken into consideration. The wicked problem revealed that household
wastage of food has attained high attention on the societal and academic stages (Aschemann-
Witzel 2016). As a result of poor environmental, economic along with social impacts, “food
waste” is deemed to be among major sustainability concerns which must be dealt with. In
developed nations, consumers are deemed to be among the major “food waste” source. For
successfully decreasing household food waste, this is vital to attain a detailed understanding
of factors impacting consumer perceptions and behaviour related with household food waste.
Sustainability can be definedas “values-laden umbrella concept which inspires reflection on
the way in which interface can be managed between environment, business and society
(Aschemann-Witzel et al.2015). This is in order to make sure that the productive activities
might not degrade the global ecosystem”. There are numerous stakeholders along with certain
drivers’ impact on sustainability like atmosphere, energy, bio-diversity, land and freshwater.
This essay intends to explain the relationship between the wicked problem along with three
pillar sustainabilitymodels. It will also elaborate the ways in which systems thinking can be
implemented within the sustainability concern.
Discussion
Wicked Problem
Decrease of the household food waste and food loss is turning out to be a wicked
problem that has drastic economic, environmental and social impacts. In developed nations,
around 40% of food waste takes place at the consumer, retail as well as household levels
(Bernstad 2014). Strategies focussed on household food waste reduction is often relied on
breaking down of any system within its segmented parts and making attempts to decrease it

2SYSTEMS THINKING IN DEALING WITH SUSTIANABILITY CHALLENGES
gradually. In addition, the wicked problem of household food waste is complex and might
attain advantage from a holistic and systematic evaluation forfacilitating in dealing with the
problem. The wicked problem also exists in the initial stages within supply chain that is
present in the developing nations, food wastage along with surplus at upcoming stages are
gradually noticed within advanced nations (Göbel et al.2015). The role of consumers within
wicked problem of household “food waste” is highly important in advanced nations.
Relevant data is present regarding household food waste concern can gradually
increase and current data also indicates certain actions that a downward advancement can be
done. For instance, a household “food waste” decreases of 21% was observed within nation
in the year 2014 and it was reported that consumers now waste less than the food they used to
do before (Hebrok and Boks 2017). In such nations, the companies and activists state that
societal debate and actions were taken that has aa positive impact. However, still consumers
for not have a vital function in household “food waste” through their individual in-store along
with household selections. Their real and estimated food perceptions along with behaviour of
food purchase impacts decision making of stakeholders along with the overall supply chain.
For decreasing household “food waste” in advanced nations, this is vital to attain an detailed
understanding of certain factors focussed on household food-based consumer perception
along with behaviour in point of purchase and in household (Jörissen, Priefer and Bräutigam
2015).
Sustainability and Household “Food Waste”
Considering the difficult concern of household food waste, a series of actions is set by
stakeholders in food chain or by actors attempting to impact on supply chain
(Papargyropoulou et al.2014). In order to maintain sustainability, consumer expectations and
perceptions are properly considered in order to understand the cultural and social background

3SYSTEMS THINKING IN DEALING WITH SUSTIANABILITY CHALLENGES
and the aspects that are expected within household food market surrounding. It is also
gathered that differences in culture exist in different regions of same nation. This can also
mean that major reasons of food waste can greatly differ with different regions of the same
nation that might indicate the major reasons of food waste (Papargyropoulou et al. 2014). In
the “consumer-retailer” communication, retailer or producer selection for packaging sizes
related to along with the mentioned functions along with type as well as length of mentioned
“date labelling” with household food goods.
Factors Causing Household “Food Waste”
“Food waste” is observed as a difficult concern, with magnitude of aspects affecting
household food wastage along with avoidance of these wastes as well as food supply chain.
At the time a fraction of food waste escaping strategies might be selected for saving money,
enacting a broad action range is rather because of ethical causes. This is associated with the
fairness, values or religious (Ponis et al.2017). The research related with household “food
waste” has increased significantly over years. Due to communicating nature of the aspects
and based on recommendationsof experts, it is affected that there are several set of actions
that might result in change there is no single solution. Certain actions are recognised that can
be of great importance to deal with for the reason that this can have relatively higher potential
for drastic changes. Such changes include date labelling, perceptions and expectations along
with consumer household food management behaviour (Porpino 2016).
Date labelling issue takes place rather majorly as a concern within consumer
household “food waste”. It is gathered that certain legislation along with usage of food
producer’s that must be harmonised or enhanced for proper match the ways in which
customers can deal with data labelling. Such sustainability measure can educate consumers
repeatedly and constantly regarding proper understanding and usage of household food

4SYSTEMS THINKING IN DEALING WITH SUSTIANABILITY CHALLENGES
(Porpino, Wansink and Parente 2016). Moreover, enhancing “household food management”
behaviour of consumers in consideration to acquiring and really performing the food skills is
necessary. Moreover, dealing with the knowledge to end avoiding the food waste is a major
concern. However, it is not clarified it is not that simple in consideration to certain goals and
related trade-off related with in eating and food. Avoiding “household food waste” can
considerably be a low priority to the customers (Principato 2018). For this reason, the aspects
that serves as a hopeful direction, particularly as association among multiple actors is deemed
as combination of certain strategies. This considers offering tips and tools along with slightly
increasing motivation along with association through focussing on certain ethical causes
along with certain win-win situations.
Systems Thinking
A system can be explained as an interaction between more than two aspects of the
work as a whole. The principles along with the whole processes are concerned about
interaction among one another, it usually cannot be observed. In the systems, all the aspects
are a matter to one another in case there is a change among them the behaviours of systems
will change (Reynolds et al.2014). Systems thinking can also be described as an outline, that
prefers to see interrelationship or the change within the pattern than the specific things. The
major goal of systems initiative is to reveal the interaction between economy, society and the
environment. This approach also resists breaking the issue within the segments for detailed
examination. It is observed that it is necessary to investigate the interrelationship the overall
systems themes and patterns that emerges of the inside new meaning to the initial issues
(Schmidt 2016). In any sustainability situations with the associated issue, for instance climate
change, overpopulation or obesity increasing diversity might result in different meaning of
the situations. This is also beside the indication opportunity for actions that might also have
taken place. Two tools were applied to the household food waste prevention system as an

5SYSTEMS THINKING IN DEALING WITH SUSTIANABILITY CHALLENGES
impact diagram tool for systems thinking. This diagram was developed throughbrainstorming
of all potential aspects of prevention system of avoidable “household food waste” along with
considering to identify all the system aspects and subsystem elements (Secondi, Principato
and Laureti 2015). This was also implemented to a new strategy in order decrease the level of
preventable household food waste. It was implemented within a latest project which is
preparing mobile application intended for consumers of the “home food delivery services”.
Figure 1: Seven Systems Engineering Analysis Method
(Source: Thyberg and Tonjes 2016)
It can also be stated that the statement “Systems Thinking is Critical in Developing
Solutions to Sustainability Challenges: Household Food Waste” is generally accepted due to
the objective of systems thinking. This is in order to mismatch the three sustainability pillars
society, economy and environment (Tucker and Farrelly 2016). As mentioned, certain

6SYSTEMS THINKING IN DEALING WITH SUSTIANABILITY CHALLENGES
strategies related to systems thinking sustainability includes harm minimization,
comprehensive approach, balanced approach, commitment and partnership to an evidence-
based policy. These have not been much successful in illicit household food waste scenario.
Systems thinking might deal with suggesting certain solutions for the wicked problems in
order to maintain the three pillars sustainability-based interaction. Future reaches or
discussions on systems thinking might be required in order to reveal the solution for
household food waste and its sustainability. The interaction of systems aspects which makes
up the household food waste prevention system (Thyberg and Tonjes 2016). This explains the
requirement for new and existing strategies for using the systems thing ad related approach in
order to effectively deal with the challenge of food waste. None of such strategies are
recently implemented as a fraction of movement are working in isolation. This is evidenced
by a fact that “household food waste” has continued to increase over the last three years
(Tucker and Farrelly 2016).
For the products devoid of “date labelling” or within certain instances when date is
over, this is important that certain perceptions and expectations of consumers consider the
evaluation of foods acceptability. It can be deemed that it might be altered further and
developed with time considering actions like retailers offering along with properly marketing
a wider range of various characteristics of appearance within fresh food production (Jörissen,
Priefer and Bräutigam 2015). This can be associated with a societal explanation supported by
campaignersand NGOs that triggers the consumers reflections of the fact. This is along with
impacts of standard form resulting in changes within norms within society. To deal with
certain concerns related with food waste, retailers must consider developing, testing and
analysing distinct pricing strategies intended for suboptimal foods to maintain a balance
among satisfying consumers focus on a better price-quality association along with decreasing
wastage of food. Consumers look for better “price-quality” association that can result in

7SYSTEMS THINKING IN DEALING WITH SUSTIANABILITY CHALLENGES
needless “over-purchasing” which transfers wastage from supermarket to home (Jörissen,
Priefer and Bräutigam 2015).
Conclusion
This essay intended to explain the relationship between the wicked problem along
with three pillar sustainabilitymodels. It will also elaborate the ways in which systems
thinking can be implemented within the sustainability concern. It was gathered from the
paper that the wicked problem of household food waste is complex and might attain
advantage from a holistic and systematic evaluation for facilitating in dealing with the
problem. The wicked problem also exists in the initial stages of the supply chain that is
present in the advanced nations, food wastage along with surplus at former stages are
gradually seen within advanced nations. The function of consumers in wicked problem of
household “food waste” is highly important in advanced nations. Moreover, Systems thinking
can also be described as an outline, that prefers to see interrelationship or the change within
the pattern than the specific things. The major goal of systems initiative is to reveal the
interaction between economy, society and the environment. This approach also resists
breaking the issue within the segments for detailed examination. It is observed that it is
necessary to investigate the interrelationship the overall systems themes and patterns that
emerges of the inside new meaning to the initial issues. In any sustainability situations with
the associated issue, for instance climate change, overpopulation or obesity increasing
diversity might result in different meaning of the situations. This is also beside the indication
opportunity for actions that might also have taken place.

8SYSTEMS THINKING IN DEALING WITH SUSTIANABILITY CHALLENGES
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