17 pages., Via online journal., Food waste has emerged as a major issue in the United States as the nation collectively sends more than 133 billion pounds of food to its landfills every year. In September 2015, the USDA and EPA announced an initiative to cut U.S. food waste in half by 2030. Between 2015 and 2016, nearly 100,000 posts about food waste have been published on Twitter, a microblogging platform that has been a hub of “slacktivism” since its inception in 2006. Using a conceptual framework of social cognitive theory, online activism, and crowdsourcing, we analyzed food waste conversation participants’ demographics, online communities, and proposed solutions. Data analysis was conducted with listening software Sysomos MAP and a qualitative content analysis of conversation content. The analysis revealed that more than 2,000 U.S. users engaged in the conversation, forming four discrete conversation communities led by influencers from government, news media, and environmental organizations. Proposed solutions to the food waste crisis included domestic or household behavior change, food-waste diversion and donation, recycling and upcycling, consumer education, and governmental action and policy. We recommend using Twitter to mine, test, and deploy solutions for combating food waste; engage with influential users; and disseminate materials for further research into the behavioral implications of online activism related to food waste.
Collins, Luke (author) and Nerlich, Brigitte (author)
Format:
Book chapter
Publication Date:
2017
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08911
Notes:
Pages 41-59 in Koteyko, Nelya Nerlich, Brigitte Hellsten, Iina (eds.), Climate change communication and the internet. United Kingdom: Routledge, Abingdon, Oxon, England. 217 pages.
Salas, Jorge (author), Vega, Humberto (author), Oritz, Julio (author), Bustos, Raime (author), Lozoya, Camilo (author), and Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Campus Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
2014
Published:
International
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 163 Document Number: D08176
Notes:
Article number 7049083, pp. 3903-3908, 40th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society, IECON 2014; Sheraton Hotel DallasDallas; United States; 30 October 2014 through 1 November 2014; Category numberCFP14IEC-ART; Code 112104
Kemper, Denise (author) and Weltring, Wiebke (author)
Format:
Proceedings
Publication Date:
2016
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08817
Notes:
Pages 235-259 in Rob Roggema (ed.), Agriculture in an urbanizing society volume one: proceedings of the sixth AESOP conference on sustainable food planning. United Kingdom: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 549 pages.
