When it comes to anaerobic digestion in the US, any news is good news. Even noncommittal, vague comments like those from a spokesperson for Ralphs Grocery Co. Ralphs is one of the Kroger-owned supermarket chains involved with the anaerobic digestion system at a Los Angeles distribution center that process 55,000 tons of food waste per [...]
At last–a peer-reviewed analysis of trayless dining! Two American University researchers found that removing trays at their all-you-can-eat cafeteria cut food waste by 32%. What’s more, diners use 27% fewer dishes, leading to water and energy savings. — — As we learn here, cutting food waste would go a long way toward making our food [...]
There’s some evidence that the issue of food waste is catching on in China, albeit in a fairly political way. According to the official newspaper of the Communist Youth League, the abundant food waste can be blamed on the wealthy. — — Waitrose, the British grocery chain, just announced that it now sends no food [...]
A new study from USDA researchers puts the total cost of food waste at 165 billion–just for retail and consumer segments of the food chain. And–that’s with 2008 data. So the total cost is certainly higher than that. — — Residents of Le Sueur, Minn. are not thrilled about a potential anaerobic digestion facility that [...]
Hit the Gas, a recent UK study funded by an anaerobic digestion (AD) industry group, discusses ways to create more energy via that process. One of those ways is to divert food waste from landfills to AD plants. To secure more “feedstock” for AD, the report proposes that the government should “phase out organic waste to [...]
Here’s NPR’s second story of the week relating to food recovery. I’m a source in this one! — — Massachusetts is clearing some red tape to pave the way for more anaerobic digestion. Wicked awesome! — — Meanwhile, the UK’s largest AD facility just opened in Staffordshire. — — This story on Malaysian restaurateurs’ responses [...]
It’s neat to find a conference attracting practitioners of composting, anaerobic digestion, and other organic recycling schemes. BioCycle’s Global 2011 in San Diego is just that. There’s plenty of talk of separating organics from the waste stream, air emissions from composting, and the carbon cap-and-trade system. There was even a very public debate about land [...]
Massachusetts (food) waste-to-energy company Harvest Power is turning plenty of heads with their fundraising, which will speed development of two anaerobic digesters in Canada. It’s too bad a Massachusetts company hasn’t been able to create any American projects. Yet that’s the sad, but hopefully changing, reality. — —- Here’s a nice piece on gleaning in the [...]
I’ve always enjoyed the Worldwatch Institute’s State of the World reports. But now I really like them after the State of the World Report 2011 classifed food waste as a major concern. From Wednesday’s release: Moreover, “roughly 40 percent of the food currently produced worldwide is wasted before it is consumed, creating large opportunities for [...]
Want to eat a gourmet, dumpster-procured meal? How about having a film director come to your town and rail against food waste while wearing a speedo? Donate some money to help Dive! director Jeremy Seifert’s campaign to send a copy of his film to every Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods in the U.S. of A. [...]
