Approaching the science of food waste through documentary film

Abstract

'Trash' does not exist in nature, as any waste generated by an organism is utilized by another. Humans have strayed away from the earth's natural processes by exporting waste towards a dead end, allowing it to pile high in landfills where it most likely will never decompose. Documentary filmmakers have attempted to raise awareness about this pressing environmental issue of waste by illustrating the negative impacts of landfills on our lives and providing the viewer with attainable and sustainable waste diversion solutions. This study will describe, discuss, and compare the different aesthetic and thematic approaches adopted in 'Wasted!' 'The Story of Food Waste', 'Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story' and 'Rot', three documentary films that propose environmentally-friendly waste disposal strategies as possible solutions to our global food waste crisis.