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    Municipal zero waste methodology : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Management at Massey University, Turitea Campus, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2022) Hannon, Jonathon
    This research originally undertook an extensive literature review, in order to develop a deeper understanding of how the phenomenon of zero waste interrelates with the alternative sustainability-framed movements responding to the crisis of waste and the failures of conventional waste management theory and practice. This initial work was translated into a series of publications that provide content for the foundational chapters (1. Literature review 2, Background/Context and 3. Methodology) of this thesis and provided the basis for identifying the problem statement, research objectives and hypothesis. A key focus of this research involved examining the critique of the zero waste movement, in particular the extreme assertion that, in a municipal context, zero waste is a chronic failure/impossible/doomed and is a super-mega proposition for which there is no blueprint or methodology. The value-proposition for research addressing this critique was established by examining the real-world New Zealand (zero) waste case-setting where a combination of misinformation, lobbying, and policy capture resulted in an abandonment of zero waste and a consequent regression in KPIs of the prior New Zealand Waste Strategy (NZWS:2002) entitled Towards Zero Waste and a Sustainable New Zealand. The published outputs of this research make the case that zero waste approaches can and should be scientific, practically successful, measurable and evidenced, a good economic investment, socially and culturally beneficial, framed in a continuum of learning and evolution, and democratically popular. Additionally, this research has provided new insights to the extreme scope, challenge, and intensely complex disciplinarity of the waste → zero waste transition spectrum. This has enabled visualising and reinterpreting the significant, but largely unmet interdisciplinary requirement of (zero) waste management, as a critical barrier to progress. Based on a three-stage review of policy analysis in (zero) waste management research, a specific methodology of mixed methods content analysis (formally annotated as MMR HCA-T-MZWM quant + QUAL(quant)) was designed to test and explicate the disputed existence of municipal zero waste methodology (MZWM). Detailed quantitative findings converge in the formation of an extensive hybrid embedded qualitative written narrative result that is the illustrated in four final graphic summary illustrations of the hypothesised MZWM. This Ꝏ infinity – continuum model offers a new conception of dynamic integrated elements and interoperative, interdisciplinary clusters comprising the MZWM. The Ꝏ infinity – continuum MZWM model embodies the disruptive, hyper-aspiration of zero waste in seeking maximum transition into a sustainable circular economy, and in extent and detail appears commensurate with the cited super-wicked complexity of waste issues. The Ꝏ infinity – continuum MZWM model provides a simple, yet meaning-laden graphic, abductive bridge between the UNSDG imperative and zero waste’s innovation seeking and transformational ideals. The MZWM represents a key foundation for the critical next-step opportunity to develop an evaluation framework (ideally as an internationally agreed research framework encompassing further learning and experience) to systematically measure and enhance the performance of future municipal zero waste programmes.
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    Para Kore : an alternative voice for a zero waste world : a research project presented to Massey University in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of International Development, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Institute of Development Studies, Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Banfield, Jane
    Issues of solid waste pollution are viewed as a serious threat to the global Sustainable Development Goals. Waste minimisation in New Zealand centres around a loose government policy framework underpinned by a neoliberal belief in market-driven solutions from the business sector. The traditional ‘waste hierarchy’ model (Reduce-Reuse-Recycle-Recover) remains at the core of legislation, while the more recently developed ‘Circular Economy’ model is increasingly viewed by both state and business sector as offering new hope. However, strategies for waste minimisation in New Zealand are still failing to reduce waste, as exemplified by the annual growth in waste-to-landfill rates. Given the failures mentioned above, this research looked to investigate the merits of an alternative indigenous approach to waste minimisation based upon a different epistemology. Framed by a hope-filled post-development outlook, an in-depth critique of current literature regarding mainstream waste minimisation strategies was undertaken alongside a qualitative case study with Para Kore Marae Inc., a Māori not-for-profit organisation active in 12 regions of New Zealand. The study revealed there are contradictions within mainstream waste minimisation strategies. Resolution of waste issues is constrained by political adherence to neoliberal economic theory which promotes continuous growth in production and consumption. A dominant metanarrative around waste has developed allowing the collective impact of factors incompatible with waste eradication to remain unacknowledged and unaddressed by state actors. The Para Kore model contrasts significantly with technocentric state-led approaches. Para Kore Marae Inc. views solid waste issues through the spiritual lens of kaitiakitanga, the relationship and consequent responsibility of each person to the natural world. For participants adopting a Para Kore approach, intrinsic motivation developed to align waste reduction behaviours with personal values and cultural principles. In addition to reducing waste-to-landfill, the Para Kore approach resulted in holistic improvements to individual and community wellbeing. Cost and time constraints to waste reduction were not found to be an issue. The most significant challenge to the model was ‘burnout’ experienced by the ‘champion’ facilitators. The Para Kore approach is identified as reflecting the emergent post-neoliberal political framework, the ‘Politics of Belonging’. It is concluded that Para Kore’s approach has significant value not only in engendering waste reduction behaviours within organisations and households but also in reinvigorating individual and community wellbeing.
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    Will Liam save us? : an analysis of Apple's zero-waste goals and waste networks associated with the MacBook : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Media Studies at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2018) Vonk, Lisa
    As popular awareness of global environmental crises rises, the circular economy model is increasingly heralded as a means to address the environmental impact of traditional extractive economies. Technology provider Apple has been among high-profile corporations quick to adopt a circular model, announcing their plans to both end mining and become zero-waste. In this thesis, I analyse Apple’s zero-waste plans using my own notebook as a case study. A discourse analysis of the company’s 2017 Environmental Responsibility Report reveals that the zero-waste approach is (at least in part) a marketing strategy. It works to increase Apple’s power and consumer base. The zero-waste strategy is presented as distinct from their social responsibility, echoing the way that waste is conceptualised within the circular economy. Both Apple’s zero-waste plan and the circular economy rely heavily on technological innovation to offer solutions to waste. Waste is understood as something distinct from, and entirely controllable by, human intention. Individual case studies of my notebooks aluminium casing and hard disk drive demonstrate that vast waste networks of human and nonhuman actors enable Apple to function as they do, and are in fact integral to any economy organised around the pursuit of profit. Within this context, attempts to circumvent the worst harms associated with the extraction, production, consumption, and disposal contexts of ICT equipment will end up reinscribing or reinforcing wasteful practices. Through an auto-ethnographic description of dealing with the notebooks possibly failing battery, I argue that understanding ourselves as separate from waste networks (as zero-waste discourses encourage us to do) similarly forecloses the possibility of disrupting the most negative impacts of waste. Repair tentatively emerges as one way of destabilising the power of large corporations that benefit from capital such as Apple. Ultimately, the case studies presented here raise serious doubts about both Apple’s zero-waste strategy and the circular economy in general.
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    The constant change : an innovative zero waste fashion design process : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Design at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2018) Sharma, Megha
    Waste appears in all the areas of fashion and apparel industry, through manufacturing, overproduction, fast fashion and also over-consumption. Scholars such as Kate Fletcher and Alison Gwilt have cited statistics about the pollution created by the clothing industry and the increasing impact of the fast fashion trend on landfills. This practice led research project exemplifies a zero-waste pattern design process primarily aimed at reducing waste at the pre-consumer stage. In it, I employ an integration of fashion design technologies such as various zero waste techniques in the development of a new pattern design method and textile print. The alternative pattern design method uses Constant and Variable pattern shapes created by cutting straight-sided polygons(1) from set fabric lengths. This method of zero waste cutting becomes more visible with a dissected block print textile design. The cut shapes are draped on the form to derive a range of three innovative garment designs. My design process draws on “three levels of processing – Visceral, Behavioral and Reflective” (Norman, 2004, 2013). This methodology has aided my own development as a designer by blending my own history, culture and experiences into this design process for a more meaningful conscious cognition(2). This aspect and technical design process creates possibilities for other designers in the industry and future applications. (1) Polygon – a plane figure with at least three straight sides and angles, and typically five or more. (2) Meaningful conscious cognition – refers to the reflection or looking back over history, culture and experiences, evaluating the circumstances, actions and outcomes. As a result, this helps make decisions of outweighing the strengths of one aspect over the deficiencies of another.
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    Creating food waste : journeys of food becoming waste in a catering kitchen : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment for the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Geography at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2015) Ryland, Daniel Brian
    The creation of food waste is an issue of increasing importance given growing concerns about environmental sustainability. Until recently the food waste literature has focused on the amount of food wasted with little consideration 0f the practices that create food waste beyond households and hospitals. This thesis seeks to consider food and waste practices as they occur within a catering kitchen with an aim of exploring how food waste is created. Exploring the creation of food waste in catering occurred through participant observation in a catering firm in Palmerston North, New Zealand during the summer of 2013-14. Information gathered through this technique centred on following food journeys through the catering kitchen and the moments of transition which occur as food becomes waste. Concepts of ‘becoming’ and ‘assemblages’ (Deleuze and Guattari, 1988) were drawn on to understand food waste creation, with Hetherington’s (2004) concept of conduits to inform how becomings take place. Analysis of field notes demonstrated that creating food waste in catering is not a simple process, nor a certain outcome. Instead food waste occurs as part of a vast interconnected web of interactions between food, places, people, and ideas. Conduits exist to change meaning and value inherent in food. Those conduits to avoid food waste can be found as buckets for pig feed, storage in a chiller to be made into a new dish, or staff consumption. The use of these conduits can reduce food waste, but the capacity of food to enter them is constrained by the economic and material realities of producing food for sale. Staff at the catering firm desire to reduce food waste, but time and space pressures, kitchen practices regarding food and waste, external regulations, and the material properties of food means that, while reducing food waste is desirable, it is not always possible.