Comments on: Conference Waste http://www.wastedfood.com/2008/07/29/conference-waste/ a look at how America squanders nearly half of its food Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:26:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Brenda Lotito http://www.wastedfood.com/2008/07/29/conference-waste/#comment-31516 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:24:50 +0000 http://www.wastedfood.com/2008/07/29/conference-waste/#comment-31516 Hi Everyone, I am in the business of composting, specifically conferences. It seems to me that conferences are the events that have "fallen through the cracks" when it comes to food waste. I approach many conference centers and events planners. The response (usually due to lack of education) is: "oh, we don't have a budget for recycling." To the event planners and conference centers that I have worked with, it has become a no brainer, but getting through to all the people involved can be quite a challenge! First and foremost, I try to educate the chefs and kitchen staff to plan the meal and use only what is needed. I have found whole pineapples, whole onions or other fruit and veggies with only a slice or so taken out. The great thing about what I do is take these underutilized organics, turn it into a compost product, then offer a list of not- for-profit community garden or planting projects to the conference center or event planner (whoever has hired me)to donate the resulting compost to. By the way, I'm in awe of how many sets of silverware I get in each conference project I do. I wonder how much their silverware budget is! Hi Everyone,
I am in the business of composting, specifically conferences. It seems to me that conferences are the events that have “fallen through the cracks” when it comes to food waste. I approach many conference centers and events planners. The response (usually due to lack of education) is: “oh, we don’t have a budget for recycling.”
To the event planners and conference centers that I have worked with, it has become a no brainer, but getting through to all the people involved can be quite a challenge!
First and foremost, I try to educate the chefs and kitchen staff to plan the meal and use only what is needed. I have found whole pineapples, whole onions or other fruit and veggies with only a slice or so taken out. The great thing about what I do is take these underutilized organics, turn it into a compost product, then offer a list of not- for-profit community garden or planting projects to the conference center or event planner (whoever has hired me)to donate the resulting compost to.
By the way, I’m in awe of how many sets of silverware I get in each conference project I do. I wonder how much their silverware budget is!

]]> by: Robert http://www.wastedfood.com/2008/07/29/conference-waste/#comment-31088 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:39:48 +0000 http://www.wastedfood.com/2008/07/29/conference-waste/#comment-31088 Multiply that by all of the thousands of conferences going on each day all over the country. They might not all waste food but many must an that all adds up. One aspect of all of the waste going on is that the extra food, that is thrown away, represents increased demand for food in general. This keeps the price of food higher than it should be. Multiply that by all of the thousands of conferences going on each day all over the country. They might not all waste food but many must an that all adds up. One aspect of all of the waste going on is that the extra food, that is thrown away, represents increased demand for food in general. This keeps the price of food higher than it should be.

]]> by: Victoria http://www.wastedfood.com/2008/07/29/conference-waste/#comment-31034 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:36:13 +0000 http://www.wastedfood.com/2008/07/29/conference-waste/#comment-31034 I was not aware of this superficial show of abundance: displays that aren’t full at the end of a meal is deemed ‘inhospitable.’ That's interesting, as if being hospitable means that food is showily displayed and available should one feel hungry. Kind of like my Mom's and mine(but I'm improving)tendency to overstock the fridge instead of stretching what's already there, a mindset that developed in response to The Depression. Definitely, the employees there and the conference attendees would have lots of leverage if they opened their eyes and asked the hotel kitchen as to their plans with the extra food. Big Questions to ask, That I ask: Why are we humans so apathetic to waste/ injustices going on? Why would someone FEAR taking a risk by bringing this example to the attention of somebody in charge? It could have easily been donated to a soup kitche/homeless shelter through a couple of phone calls and a little time shifting. have you see this article on Tim Ferriss's blog? http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/07/21/push-vs-pull-processes/ I know he uses car manufacturing, not food as an example, but a good theory. I was not aware of this superficial show of abundance:

displays that aren’t full at the end of a meal is deemed ‘inhospitable.’

That’s interesting, as if being hospitable means that food is showily displayed and available should one feel hungry. Kind of like my Mom’s and mine(but I’m improving)tendency to overstock the fridge instead of stretching what’s already there, a mindset that developed in response to The Depression.

Definitely, the employees there and the conference attendees would have lots of leverage if they opened their eyes and asked the hotel kitchen as to their plans with the extra food.
Big Questions to ask, That I ask:

Why are we humans so apathetic to waste/ injustices going on?
Why would someone FEAR taking a risk by bringing this example to the attention of somebody in charge?
It could have easily been donated to a soup kitche/homeless shelter through a couple of phone calls and a little time shifting.

have you see this article on Tim Ferriss’s blog?
http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/07/21/push-vs-pull-processes/
I know he uses car manufacturing, not food as an example, but a good theory.

]]> by: des http://www.wastedfood.com/2008/07/29/conference-waste/#comment-31020 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:44:38 +0000 http://www.wastedfood.com/2008/07/29/conference-waste/#comment-31020 That is a huge amount of food to waste. That is a huge amount of food to waste.

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