Category Archives: Events

Pakistani Bliss?

As I learned in this post on All Things Pakistan, there’s a great deal of food waste at Pakistani weddings. This isn’t shocking, nor is it much different in the U.S., but the post provides some food for thought. In what will be familiar to anyone who has planned a wedding or large event, Syed […]

April 10, 2008 | Also posted in International | Comments closed

Seattle Slays

Bless those Seattlites. From where I stand, they’re way ahead of the curve: They recycle household food waste, or at least they will starting in 2009. They provide great advice on food waste, quoting excellent experts (scroll to the end). They recycle food at Mariners games. They recycle food at hospitals. About 30 miles down […]

March 27, 2008 | Also posted in Food Recovery, Institutional, Waste Stream | Comments closed

Event Waste?

In conjunction with the Grammy Awards, Warner Music continued what I call the ‘conspicuous recycling’ trend in hosting a green post-Grammy party Sunday night. In addition to being a carbon-neutral and zero waste event, organizers composted food and paper waste. While it’s a positive step, I’d love to see excess food fed to people instead […]

February 12, 2008 | Posted in Events | Comments closed

Super(bowl of) Waste

After nearly two weeks of hype, it’s time for some arm wrestling wood chopping surfing football. By kickoff, the greater Phoenix area will have provided a whole lot of “hospitality.” Those gala events, in turn, provide food waste. Fortunately, the local food recovery group Waste Not in coordination with the NFL Environmental Program will recover […]

February 1, 2008 | Posted in Events | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

Not sure how I missed these Plates and bowls from food waste! It’s a neat use for peels and scraps, but I’m not sure I’d want my dinnerware “imparting” smells on my food. — — In honor of Mitt Romney: even Brigham Young despised food waste.  — — On the surface, this story of a Japanese […]

December 14, 2007 | Also posted in Friday Buffet, Restaurant | Comments closed

Giant food excess

I just returned from a research trip to New York. In addition to visiting a food pantry and speaking with the former USDA  coordinator of food recovery, I observed more stadium food recovery. Last summer, I went to a Mets game to witness Shea Stadium food donation (baseball). There, I tagged along with a concessions manager as he […]

November 27, 2007 | Also posted in Food Recovery | Comments closed

Festival Food Waste

This past weekend I dug through the trash. To be more specific, I volunteered to help a local festival compost their organic waste. While this year’s numbers won’t be in for a week or two, the festival diverted 93 percent of the trash from the landfill in 2006.  Here’s how my three-hour shift went: organizers dropped off bags […]

July 10, 2007 | Posted in Events | Comments closed

Waste of Wieners?

Is this a waste of food, an American tradition or both?   Also, is it ridiculous to equate beating Japanese competitive eater Kobayashi, the 5-time Nathan’s hot dog champion, with patriotism? In the leadup to the 4th of July competition, the American challenger in the contest took that line: “I’m going to push harder on our Independence […]

July 4, 2007 | Also posted in History and Culture | Comments closed

Hot Potato

Yesterday, I volunteered at the 4th Annual Potato Drop at the Raleigh Farmer’s Market. As you’d guess, a potato drop involves a large load of potatoes dropped in one location. What you may not know is that the event raises awareness for wasted food and food recovery while distributing healthy food to those in need. Nash Produce donated […]

June 13, 2007 | Also posted in Food Recovery | Comments closed

Stadium Squandering

“All-you-can-eat” is no longer the domain of Vegas, rest stop and ethnic buffets. This food service strategy that often yields great waste has a new venue–stadiums.  This season, L.A.’s Dodger Stadium implemented an All-You-Can-Eat Pavilion to attract fans to the frequently empty right field bleachers. The service runs from 90 minutes before the first pitch to the start […]

May 29, 2007 | Also posted in Food Recovery | Comments closed