Smart Net-Zero

January 09, 2023 | Scientific Reports |  

Introduction: The hospitality and food service (HaFS) sectors face a significant challenge with food waste, prompting the need for urgent action to address this issue. This study by researchers from University College London and Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment in UK focuses on reducing food waste and decarbonizing operations in a staff cafeteria within an integrated resort in Macau. 

Key findings: Three key strategies are proposed: upstream optimization to minimize unserved food waste, midstream education to raise staff awareness about the environmental and health impacts of food choices, and downstream recognition using advanced technology to reduce plate waste. Employing technology, such as a state-of-the-art computer vision system, can effectively encourage behavioral change similar to how speed cameras influence driving behavior.

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 Fig. | Three streams of decarbonisation for reducing life cycle GHG emissions from food waste: upstream optimisation, midstream education, downstream recognition.