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Alternative Labeling System

Labeling system to waste less food


Project info
Design Research, Information/Experience Design
Methods
Primary/Secondary Research, Prototyping
Tools
Adobe CC
Timeline
Sep 2016 - Oct 2016


πŸ‘‡ This is one of the Thesis projects, under Valuing Food.



Overview

My design intervention to waste less food is an alternative labeling system for storing food. It focuses on how we treat what’s already been produced. The project aims to minimize food losses and wastes by suggesting appropriate labeling.


πŸ’¬ No one wants to waste food, but sometimes it happens because we don't know the right way to store or use up the food we have. Its essence, however, is a deep understanding of how to treat food with the love and respect it deserves.


by Dana Gunder, Author (of Waste Free Kitchen Handbook), former scientist (at NRDC)





Background













Challenge

During the research, one of my interviewees said, he mostly stores food in the refrigerator even fruits and vegetables because he thinks cooling sounds better and safer for food than room temperature. Another interviewee said she heard a few vegetables are not suitable to store together, but had no idea which vegetables they are and how to store them.

However, even just knowing how and where to store fruits and vegetables properly will extend the life of food and buy people time to make sure they can use them up. Some fruits such as bananas or tomatoes last longer at room temperature, rather than in the refrigerator.



πŸ“Œ How can people experience the essential value of food in their daily lives by shifting behavioral mindsets and throwing less food away?




Current labeling system









Alternative Labeling System

I designed a system of three different color-coded labels, blue, yellow, and red. Like the recycling bin system, each color represents a different action, by offering advice on how to store foods. A blue label means to put food in the refrigerator immediately. Further steps might be storing particular fruits or veggies in separate produce drawers in the fridge. It helps to minimize the detrimental effects of ethylene produced by fruits or vegetables. A yellow label asks for two steps. First, wait until fruits ripen on the countertop away from sunlight and then store them in the refrigerator. After maturing, store them in the refrigerator and use them within 1–3 days. A red label represents keeping fruits and vegetables at room temperature but away from direct sunlight.



A quick guide to storing fruits and vegetables


When people buy fruits and vegetables with these labels, they will know where to store food to keep it fresh. The main concept is maximizing the potential of what’s already been produced to minimizing food loss.









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