Björn Rust (he/him) is a post-industrial designer, researcher and educator, developing context-sensitive solutions in service of people and the planet.

Recent writings

  1. On the limits of orthodox economic theory and the role of design in supporting state economic policy
  2. Opportunity hoarding
  3. Doing away with bullshit

Glut

reflection

In 1947 the average volume of a refrigerator according to Rosenfeld et al. and the AHAM (Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers) was 0.233 cubic meters. By 2008 that average had grown to 0.605 cubic meters which is in excess of 159% larger.

The FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) reports that from 1990 to 2008 the daily intake of kilocalorie per individual increased by 2.875%, while in a similar period the refrigerator grew in volume by 8%. The same body reports that globally some 1.3 billion tonnes of food is lost or wasted each year, that is a 1/3 of all food produced for human consumption. One might begin to wonder if this disproportionate increase in refrigerator volume to human consumption (assuming our food has equivalent caloric density) might be contributing to increased waste. After all, in Europe and North America, where refrigerators are bigger, consumers waste between 95-115 kg per person per year, while in sub-Saharan Africa, south and south-eastern Asia, that number is only 6-11 kg.

Inspired by: Paper beats plastic? How to rethink environmental folklore