Date

5-22-2024

Department

School of Communication and the Arts

Degree

Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design (MFA)

Chair

Marvin Eans

Keywords

dia de los muertos, day of the dead, indigenous, aztec, mesoamerican, latin american, latino, hispanic, roman catholic, food waste, financial waste, environmental waste, food insecurity, food bank, food pantry, food donation, consumer waste, consumer, consumer education campaign, consumer behavior, commercialization, wasteful spending

Disciplines

Art and Design | Environmental Studies

Abstract

This thesis examines the role of the Dia de los Muertos holiday in wasteful spending, food waste, and environmental waste in the United States due to its food-centered traditions and commercialized competitions. As the holiday has become more mainstream, the once-homebound practices have expanded into large, drawn-out festivals nationwide. Articles on the holiday’s traditions, as well as studies on waste, have been reviewed. The analysis showed that the traditions have evolved and that food waste directly affects financial and environmental waste. This paper concludes that the holiday’s practices can be adjusted to help reduce food, financial, and environmental waste.

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