Eighth International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

The major claim posed by the broken window theory (Wilson; Kelling, 1982) is that minor crimes can be diminished by changing the environment. Based on this prerogative, the current study aimed at analyzing the waste disposal behavior of community members from a slum, located in the city of Rio de Janeiro, following the construction of a vegetable garden. The REDE methodology was used as an intervention procedure. In this approach, 4 macro steps were identified: Recognition, Structuring, Development and Delivery. The first referred to the identification of the problem (improper waste disposal) by the community members and the group of researchers. The second involved elaborating, with the community, a solution. Seeking food autonomy, the group suggested building a vegetable garden in an area where the trash was improperly left. The plan was operationalized in the development phase, where each member assumed a different role. During the last phase (in progress), community members should begin working independently. In this scenario, the vegetable garden administration should be taken over by a children daycare center, located at the slum. Preliminary results from field notes and interviews with community members suggest that the construction of the vegetable garden changed the waste disposal behavior of the community, lending support to the theory of the broken window.