{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/24147"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/24147","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Considerations for Informed Pursuit of Zero Waste: Lessons from Two Case Studies","abstract":"Starting in the early 2000s, a number of U.S. communities have adopted \"zero waste\" commitments to reduce waste as much as possible through recycling, composting, and other means. Little in-depth information exists about the impetus for or efficacy of these efforts. The author sought to build knowledge on the topic by conducting case studies of two communities: the zero waste efforts of Boulder, Colorado, and the Zero Waste Zones established in Atlanta. The two cases presented an interesting contrast, in terms of sector driving zero waste: public in Boulder, and private in Atlanta. The study aimed to use the experiences of these two communities, supplemented with background research on materials management and application of relevant theory, to develop a set of considerations for more informed pursuit of zero waste. The author gathered qualitative data by conducting unstructured interviews of the actors involved with the zero waste efforts in Boulder and Atlanta. Interview questions concerned, e.g., zero waste goals and plans, the impacts of zero waste on the business or organization, and influential individuals or organizations. The study produced the following set of considerations: Definition of waste determines priorities and impacts of zero waste efforts; responsibility for waste arbitrarily resides with consumers and local government instead of producers; the private, public, and nonprofit sectors each play important roles in waste reduction; local government should not bear the full burden of materials management; and state and federal government can offer useful policy tools to advance zero waste.","abstract_html":"Starting in the early 2000s, a number of U.S. communities have adopted "zero waste" commitments to reduce waste as much as possible through recycling, composting, and other means. Little in-depth information exists about the impetus for or efficacy of these efforts. The author sought to build knowledge on the topic by conducting case studies of two communities: the zero waste efforts of Boulder, Colorado, and the Zero Waste Zones established in Atlanta. The two cases presented an interesting contrast, in terms of sector driving zero waste: public in Boulder, and private in Atlanta. The study aimed to use the experiences of these two communities, supplemented with background research on materials management and application of relevant theory, to develop a set of considerations for more informed pursuit of zero waste. The author gathered qualitative data by conducting unstructured interviews of the actors involved with the zero waste efforts in Boulder and Atlanta. Interview questions concerned, e.g., zero waste goals and plans, the impacts of zero waste on the business or organization, and influential individuals or organizations. The study produced the following set of considerations: Definition of waste determines priorities and impacts of zero waste efforts; responsibility for waste arbitrarily resides with consumers and local government instead of producers; the private, public, and nonprofit sectors each play important roles in waste reduction; local government should not bear the full burden of materials management; and state and federal government can offer useful policy tools to advance zero waste.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Thangavelu, Jennifer Anne"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Urban and Regional Planning","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Urban and Regional Planning","degree_department":"Public and International Affairs","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Hall, Ralph P."],"committee_members":["Holzheimer, Terry Francis","Richardson, Jesse James"],"year":2013,"date_issued":"2013-11-14","date_published":"2013-11-14","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:09Z","subjects":["zero waste","recycling","composting","producer responsibility","Atlanta","Boulder"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:1040"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:1040","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/24147","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Hall, Ralph P."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Holzheimer, Terry Francis","Richardson, Jesse James"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Public and International Affairs"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Thangavelu, Jennifer Anne"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2013-11-15T09:00:07Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2013-11-15T09:00:07Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2013-11-14"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Urban and Regional Planning"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Urban and Regional Planning"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["zero waste","recycling","composting","producer responsibility","Atlanta","Boulder"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:1040"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/24147"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Starting in the early 2000s, a number of U.S. communities have adopted \"zero waste\" commitments to reduce waste as much as possible through recycling, composting, and other means. Little in-depth information exists about the impetus for or efficacy of these efforts. The author sought to build knowledge on the topic by conducting case studies of two communities: the zero waste efforts of Boulder, Colorado, and the Zero Waste Zones established in Atlanta. The two cases presented an interesting contrast, in terms of sector driving zero waste: public in Boulder, and private in Atlanta. The study aimed to use the experiences of these two communities, supplemented with background research on materials management and application of relevant theory, to develop a set of considerations for more informed pursuit of zero waste. The author gathered qualitative data by conducting unstructured interviews of the actors involved with the zero waste efforts in Boulder and Atlanta. Interview questions concerned, e.g., zero waste goals and plans, the impacts of zero waste on the business or organization, and influential individuals or organizations. The study produced the following set of considerations: Definition of waste determines priorities and impacts of zero waste efforts; responsibility for waste arbitrarily resides with consumers and local government instead of producers; the private, public, and nonprofit sectors each play important roles in waste reduction; local government should not bear the full burden of materials management; and state and federal government can offer useful policy tools to advance zero waste."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Urban and Regional Planning"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Considerations for Informed Pursuit of Zero Waste: Lessons from Two Case Studies"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Hall, Ralph P."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Holzheimer, Terry Francis","Richardson, Jesse James"],"dc:contributor.department":["Public and International Affairs"],"dc:creator":["Thangavelu, Jennifer Anne"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2013-11-15T09:00:07Z"],"dc:date.available":["2013-11-15T09:00:07Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2013-11-14"],"dc:description.abstract":["Starting in the early 2000s, a number of U.S. communities have adopted \"zero waste\" commitments to reduce waste as much as possible through recycling, composting, and other means. 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