Can we design waste out of our food system? In this presentation we first explore three perspectives towards developing more sustainable food systems with examples of innovative concepts and start-ups worldwide that contribute to each one of them.

What if we look at the same question on system level? This is done by taking inspiration from natural food webs - where waste does not exist and every organism has a role in a bigger system of interconnected food chains.

From a design perspective, Marjanne shows you examples of valorisation of unused material streams to create zero-waste networks and an outlook on ongoing and needed developments that aim at social, economical and environmental balance in our food system.

About BlueBlocks
BlueBlocks is the company of Marjanne Cuypers, a researcher and biodesigner based in BlueCity, Rotterdam. She works with unused material streams from different (future) food chains to create new materials and their applications for markets, both in and outside the food sector.

As researcher she cooperates with The Hague University of Applied Sciences to develop new materials and investigate the role of design towards more sustainable food systems.

In her most recent project she works with Dutch seaweed as a (future) source for healthy food, for bioplastic, and for fibreboard made of the left over fibres after extraction processes.