Sydney’s 14 wastewater treatment plants could be modified to also accept food waste, research shows. The ‘anaerobic digestion’ process would produce energy as well as nutrients for reuse.
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Canada is seen as leading the way in banning single-use plastics. But how comprehensive are these actions, and how realistic is the dream of a zero-waste future?
When food scraps and garden clippings are sent to landfill, it’s not just a waste of nutrients and water. The rotting organic matter trapped in landfill produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
Humans generate a lot of trash, but there are cheaper and safer ways to handle it than loading it on rockets.
Most food waste still goes into red bins of mixed waste bound for landfill. It’s using up precious landfill space and harming the environment when it could produce valuable compost and biogas instead.
Biodegradable plastics have great potential to replace problematic plastics that don’t break down. But we, and the environment, need greater clarity on how to dispose of them.
Getting involved in citizen science projects can be a great way to have a positive impact on the world.
What can gardeners use that isn’t so bad for the climate?
Plastic products that claim to be ‘compostable’ aren’t great either.
Turning food scraps and yard trimmings into compost improves soil, making it easier for people to grow their own food. City composting programs spread those benefits more widely.
Every year the US burns more than 34 million tons of garbage in incinerators. These plants are major pollution sources, and most are clustered in disadvantaged communities.
Both natural and artificial Christmas trees have environmental impacts, but they’re not major. What matters most is what happens to the trees after the holidays.
Research shows that when Americans are aware of the scale of food waste, and how much energy and water are used to produce food, they support measures to reduce the problem.
Plenty of cafes these days will let you take home some used coffee grounds, to put on your garden. It’s a versatile material with loads of potential uses - as long as you treat it properly first.
New research shows most people try to shop and cook carefully – the real problem with food waste is infrastructure.
Top contributors
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Research Principal at the Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney
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Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney
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Senior Research Consultant at the Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney
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Post-Graduate Researcher and Food Education Manager, University of Guelph
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Associate Professor in Hospitality, Food and Tourism Management, University of Guelph
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Associate Professor, Centre for Creative and Cultural Research, Faculty of Arts and Design, University of Canberra
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Senior Research Officer, BehaviourWorks Australia (Monash Sustainable Development Institute), Monash University
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Professor of Science Communication and Chemistry, University of Hull
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Associate Professor and Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney
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Professor - School of Agriculture and Food Science, The University of Queensland
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Research Fellow, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland
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Associate Programme Officer, Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES), United Nations University
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Professor of Waste Management, The University of Queensland
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Research Fellow at BehaviourWorks Australia, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University
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Professor of Global Environmental Politics, University of California, Berkeley
