Category Archives: International

Food Packaging in the Limelight

Most of us hold a vague (or fervent) view that the less packaging the better. When it comes to food, though, it’s not as simple as that. On the one hand, packaged food prevents choice in the amount we buy, which can prompt overbuying (and waste). Then again, packaging can keep food fresher longer and […]

October 14, 2013 | Also posted in General, Packaging, Storage, Technology | Comments closed

Packaging-Prevented Waste?

Starting in November, the Canadian food packaging industry will tackle food waste. Canadian-based, though North American in scope, The Packaging Association (PAC) announced plans on Monday to seek food waste solutions through packaging. Citing the global scope of waste (1/3 of global food wasted), PAC’s board of directors will launch the PAC Food Waste Initiative. […]

October 8, 2013 | Posted in International | Comments closed

Danes Demand an End to Waste

On Friday, Copenhagen will be…United Against Food Waste. The day will be a first: industry, government and consumers joining in a public event to tackle food waste. Even more encouraging, stakeholders from various stages of the food chain will speak at the event, which falls under the EU FUSIONS umbrella. In addition to the speeches, the […]

October 2, 2013 | Also posted in Events, Food Recovery, Hunger | Comments closed

Visualizing Food Waste’s Footprint

Courtesy of the UN FAO, here’s a nice overview of the environmental footprint of food wastage*: * Note–‘Wastage’ includes both waste and loss. All the food produced but not eaten, globally.

September 26, 2013 | Also posted in Environment, Stats | Comments closed

Could Cookisto Conquer All?

These days, web-based peer-to-peer services are all the rage. If it has worked for accommodation, cab rides, and deliveries, why not with selling prepared foods?(What’s that you say? Health code rules? OK, fine–that may be an issue.) The web site/concept Cookisto is filling that edible void by allowing home chefs to post and sell their […]

September 25, 2013 | Also posted in Leftovers, Technology | Comments closed

Food Waste is World’s Third-Largest Carbon Emitter

Global food wastage accounts for more greenhouse gas emissions than any country except the US and China. For those who speak climate change, that’s 3.3 Gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent. That finding and many, many more are part of the long-anticipated UN FAO study Food Wastage Footprint (here’s the full study PDF). It’s particularly exciting for me […]

September 12, 2013 | Also posted in Environment, Stats | Comments closed

Tuesday Roundup

Food Shift’s food waste awareness ads are now up on BART (public transit) in the Bay Area. Those of us elsewhere can still enjoy the message and art below, and then pledge to reduce food waste via Food Shift’s site. — — Speaking of pledges, Zero Waste Week is happening…[he double checks his calendar]…this week in […]

September 3, 2013 | Also posted in Food Recovery, Waste Stream | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

Uber-media-friendly app LeftoverSwap launches today! Hopefully its impact will match its ability to generate press. — — Next week is Zero Waste Week! Drop by, sign up and zero out waste…with many of the helpful tips that Rachelle and crew will be providing. — — Glad to hear that the Emirates Environmental Group in the […]

August 30, 2013 | Also posted in Composting, General, Waste Stream | Comments closed

Messaging on Food Waste Messaging

UK research group WRAP has released some incredibly useful research for cities and towns hoping to both reduce and recycle food waste, those that have implemented food waste collection already and those that plan to do so. You can see the full report here or view the easily-digested, data-heavy slides. The study stemmed from this problem: implementing composting […]

August 28, 2013 | Also posted in Composting, Stats, Waste Stream | Comments closed

Waste on the Mind

Newsflash: Britons are increasingly focused on food waste. We’d long suspected that, but here’s further quantitative proof to that effect, courtesy of the Sustainable Restaurant Association study The Discerning Diner (here’s the full report PDF). The SRA poll asked: ‘which of these 13 issues are most important for restaurants to focus on.’ The 1,000 poll respondents […]

August 23, 2013 | Also posted in Leftovers, Restaurant | Comments closed