Food Waste Research
Pre-consumer Food Waste in the OSU Dining Service Research
Objective
Research and identify the food waste and the root cause of it in the OSU dining service.
Outcome
Identify where and why waste happens. And the solution.
My Role
Secondary and primary research. Analysis.Visual deliverables.
Group number
Xueqing Wang, Sherry Xiao, Ruohan Wang, August Majtenyi, Shijie LI
Instructor
Elizabeth B.-N. Sanders, Ph.D.
Timeline
10.10-12.7 2019
Research Process Overview
01
Secondary Research
Interview
Observation
02
Survey
Observation
Co-Design
03
Co-design
Analysis
1.Post-comsumer waste
is almost inevitable.
2.Pre-comsumer waste
is too high.
Why
Pre-comsumer waste is
so high?
The current issue in the employee system causes
pre-comsumer waste.
Envisioned
Solution
How to improve
the dining working experience?
Phase 1: Food Waste Research
Methods: Secondary Research | Formal Interview
We research the food flow and existing food saving methods at the OSU, and we interview the Associate Director of Cafe and campus food flow researcher Brian Roe.
Existing Food Saving Methods in OSU
Bio-Digester and Pulping System
Upcycle Organic Waste Project
Best Food Forward
Informal Interview
We asked about the Zero-Waste Program on campus and questioned the current training system，pre-consumer and post-consumer waste.
CPK
CPK is the place where is experimenting with zero-waste and track the waste data.
Zero Waste Program
Turn the waste food into energy, biodigestion, and landfill.
Training
Students employees turnover causes a lack of training and non-proficiency.
Food Quality
The recipe can not satisfy everyone’s taste, so the priority of the dining system is to prove the food quality and safety.
Phase 1: Key Findings
1. 25% of the food is uneaten, only 1% is donated to hunger-relief organizations.
2. Post-consumer waste is almost inevitable.
3. The OSU has installed many recycling systems.
4. Students employee high turnover rate causes a lack of training and non-proficiency.
5. Pre-consumer waste is almost the same as post-consumer waste.
The U.S. Restaurant Pre-consumer Food Waste Is
33%
of total food waste
The OSU Dining Service
Pre-consumer waste is
50%
of total food waste
The question
Why the Pre-Comsumer waste in the OSU Dining Service is so high?
Phase 2: Pre-consumer Waste Research
Methods： Observation | Online Survey | Co-design
We observed the open kitchen at different dining service, Spread online survey to student employees, And co-design with 6 student employees.
To further research why and how pre-consumer waste happens, and the possible solutions.
01 Observation
We observed Scott Tradition and Union Market.
Observation has been done by separating into different time periods, such as opening hours, rush hours, and closing hours.
02 Online Survey
We conducted an online survey among student employees in the dining service and got 24 replies.
Aware of the existing
recycling system?
Sustainability training
received?
Most waste happens?
60.9%
39.1%
4.3%
95.7%
Closing time: leftover
Busy hour : Mistakes
Packages
60.9% of employees didn't aware of any sustainability practices within the OSU dining services system.
Only 4.3% of employees said that they have received sustainability training.
Most waste happens at closing time and busy hour
03 Co-Design
We conducted Co-design with 6 student employees from 3 different dining services.
To identify waste, define possible reasons, and design solutions.
Employees from three different dinings.
1.Curl Market
2.Scott the Tradition
3.Courtside Cafe
Elyssa | student cook | 12 months
John | student cook | 12 months
Billy | student cook | 18 months
Timmy | student manager | 48 months
Amy | student cook | 3 months
Seven | student manager | 26 months
Section 1 | Identify Waste
The participants are asked to create the floorplan of the dining location they work or worked. And to use the floorplan to identify the necessary and unnecessary waste they observed. The participants are also encouraged to demonstrate the process of preparing a typical food order with the tools provided.
Section 2 | Working Motivations
The participants were questioned about their motivations while working at OSU Dining Services. We offered a variety of different motivations as well as the ability to think of their own. We asked them to organize these motivations in the form of card-sorting based on what they thought would and wouldn’t work.
Section 3 | Design Solutions
The participants were encouraged to come up with their own solutions for reducing food waste in their respective dining service locations. They were free to use any medium they desired in order to communicate their ideas.
Phase 3: Analysis & Insights
Food Jounery
Solution
Big Picture
Persona of Current Employees
1.Hard to get a promotion
2.Short of staff
3.Unreasonable workload
distribution
David, Student lead at Scott.1 year.
I’m eligible to apply for a manager position. However, I’m still hesitant if I should apply for it. Being a manager means having more responsibility and workloads, and do more work. However, the salary will only have a raise for 1 dollar. Also, before becoming a manager, I have to pass a lot of tests. Those tests will occupy a lot of time to prepare.
1.High Turnover rate
2.No Motivation
3.No Teamwork
Andrew, Student manager at Curl Market.2 years.
I’m planning to quit the job. Because I increasingly feel tired and lonely when I’m working. There is a large turnover rate. I don’t know most of the people in my shifts so we have no teamwork.
Also, I used to try to save as much food as possible. However, recently I don’t have any motivation to do so. I don’t get any reward or compliment for saving food and it would lower my working efficiency.
1.Not enough training
2.Stressful environment
3.No Teamwork
Xiaoling, Student cook assistant at Courtside cafe.
I just started for 2 months. It’s hard to get started. I got some online training but it’s all about safety without any practical skills.
I need to take responsibility for a whole station and deal with different customized requirements by myself. It’s easy to make mistakes. Especially at rush hours. I have to make food very quickly and make sure I make it right. It’s kind of stressful.
Deliverables
