3 research outputs found
Sustainable Retailing â Influencing Consumer Behaviour on Food Waste
The aim of this research was to examine the influence of a UK national retailer on its customers' food waste behaviour. Using six communication channels (inâstore magazine, eânewsletter, Facebook site, product stickers and inâstore demonstrations), Asda presented standard food waste reduction messages to its customers during two time limited periods in 2014 and 2015. Six national surveys over 21 months tracked customers' selfâreported food waste. Our results showed that the combined communication channels and repeated messages over time had a significant effect on reducing food waste of customers. Surprisingly, customers who said they did not recall seeing the messages also reduced their food waste, showing the wider influence of interventions. Those who saw a food waste reduction message saved an estimated ÂŁ81 annually from reducing food waste. The main conclusion of this paper is that retailers can influence the proâenvironmental behaviour of customers using conventional communication channels; however, repeat messages are needed in order to have a longâterm impact
Use of recycled products in UK construction industry: An empirical investigation into critical impediments and strategies for improvement
© 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Construction industry consumes about half of all material resources taken from nature, and generates a large portion of waste to landfill. A way of tackling negative environmental impacts impending from continuous material extraction and waste generation is the use of recycled materials for construction projects. However, the use of recycled materials is yet to become a commonplace in construction industry. This study evaluates the factors hampering the use of recycled products in UK construction industry as well as strategies that could be adopted to enhance its use in the industry. In order to identify the impediments and critical strategies, a two-fold methodical approach was used. An unstructured interview preceded a quantitative questionnaire survey which was used to elicit broader industry practitioners' opinion. The study shows that designers rarely specify recycled products. This is due to lack of adequate information about quality and market availability of the products, negative perception from clients, and unexpectedly high cost of the products, despite its perceived low quality. The study suggests that a number of strategies could be adopted to promote the use of the products. These include allocation of points to the use of recycled products in sustainable design appraisal tools, governments legislative measures, improved collaboration between designers, contractors and materials suppliers, contractors involvement at earlier stage of design, improved education of the professionals about the products, and the use of tax break to influence the cost of the products. The findings of this study would therefore help policy makers, manufacturers and construction professionals to identify the factors hampering the use of recycled products for construction projects as well as the strategies that could be adopted in order to create market for the products
A framework for reviewing the trade-offs between, renewable energy, food, feed and wood production at a local level
High fuel prices and concerns about energy security and anthropogenic climate
change are encouraging a transition towards a low carbon economy. Although
energy policy is typically set at a national level, tools are needed for people
to engage with energy policy at regional and local levels, and to guide
decisions regarding land use, distributed generation and energy supply and
demand. The aim of this paper is to develop a per-capita approach to renewable
energy demand and supply within a landscape and to illustrate the key trade-offs
between renewable energy, food, (animal) feed and wood production. The chosen
case study area (16,000 ha) of Marston Vale, England is anticipated to have a
population density midway between that for England and the UK. The daily per
capita demand for energy for heat (31 kWh), transport (34 kWh) and electricity
(15 kWh) when combined (80 kWh) was seven-fold higher than the combined demand
for food (2 kWh), animal feed (6 kWh), and wood (4 kWh). Using described
algorithms, the combined potential energy supply from domestic wind and
photovoltaic panels, solar heating, ground-source heat, and municipal waste was
limited (<10 kWh pâ1dâ1). Additional electricity could be generated from
landfill gas and commercial wind turbines, but these have temporal implications.
Using a geographical information system and the Yield-SAFE tree and crop yield
model, the capacity to supply bioethanol, biodiesel, and biomass, food, feed and
wood was calculated and illustrated for three land-use scenarios. These
scenarios highlight the limits on meeting energy demands for transport (33%) and
heat (53%), even if all of the arable and grassland area was planted to a high
yielding crop like wheat. The described framework therefore highlights the major
constraints faced in meeting current UK energy demands from land-based renewable
energy and the stark choices faced by decision ma