"Waste not, want not": an analysis of sustainable waste management practices in Fort Collins, Colorado from a transition perspective

Abstract: Increasing waste generation levels are presenting a multitude of issues from both low and high- income countries around the world. High levels of greenhouse gas emissions, water contamination and ecosystem endangerment are all concerns that are exacerbated by improper management of waste. Major shifts in the waste management sector are necessary in order to tackle these issues sustainably and for the long-term. Some cities in the United States, the second highest waste generating country in the world, have taken steps to address these issues on the municipal level. Fort Collins, Colorado is one such city that has made varied attempts to increase waste diversion and reduce waste generation in the community. However, the structure of the governance of the current system is limiting the progress the city is able to make in their transition to a sustainable waste management system. This thesis uses a transition perspective to analyze and assess the current state of the governance of the waste management system in the city of Fort Collins. The multilevel approach to transition management with a focus on the socio-institutional settings is applied to Fort Collins to show the ways in which the city does and does not adhere to a systematic thinking in governance of waste. The thesis then advocates for the adoption of transition management by the city to further aid in the pursuit of a sustainable waste management system.