Systems thinking identifies the interactions between different parts of the system and makes sure it can deliver the sum of its parts. To be successful in sustainable operations companies cannot just focus on one element of the production or value chain. If we apply closed loop thinking to food and beverage operations in a hotel, the possibilities of cross pollination and waste reduction are endless.
One person’s trash is another person’s treasure, if one discipline does not have a use for a waste product it does not mean there is not potential repurposing in another. Reviewing large quantities of waste products from a whole F&B waste lens, can be used to identify discipline specific opportunities.
The economies system can be applied to any product along your value chain to make it more closed loop and reduce waste. You can map each ingredient along its traditional usage and see if there are potential cross usages.
LiNeAr EcOnoMy
The product is used as intended and is binned at the end of the value chain. Using coffee as the example coffee beans are ground to make filter coffee. Coffee is then used with unconsumed coffee being binned and waste ground coffee is binned.
LiNeAr VS CircCuLAR EConOMiES
As mentioned in our article on CLOSED LOOP we view closed loop as a mind-set. This is not some throw away comment, in hotels for example we have multiple disciplines that are interconnected into a holistic offering. Without culinary you cannot have a restaurant; without front of house staff you cannot serve food to guests and without bartenders everyone would die of thirst….
ReCyCliNg EcOnoMy
Staying with the coffee example to making filter coffee, the difference in the recycling economy would be utilse either of the waste products with another usage. Whether that is using the waste filter coffee in bars via mixed drinks or repurposing’s it via culinary to make deserts like tiramisu’s. Alternatively, you could also find usages for the waste ground coffee either through techniques like composting.
