Category Archives: International

Monday Buffet

Wasted food = wasted water. This handy Ecocentric blog post reminds us of that truth. — — Mixed news from Massachusetts: The DEP confirmed its upcoming 2014 commercial food waste ban and pushed for a 30 percent waste reduction by 2020 (Hooray!). But it also announced that they would remove the moratorium on building new […]

May 13, 2013 | Also posted in School, Supermarket, Waste Stream | Comments closed

Politicizing Waste Reduction Advice?

Well that’s unfortunate. British politicians and/or the British media have politicized advice on reducing food waste. The Independent reported Environment Minister Richard Benyon’s remarks about families losing £50 per month through waste and follows it with objections from the opposition. As an American, I’m not aware of all the subtle class machinations and tax policy at […]

April 29, 2013 | Also posted in Household, Leftovers | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

The NRDC’s Switchboard blog provides a thought-provoking view on the latest thinking from British businesses on how to reduce food waste. And it all starts with a different mindset: that reducing food waste can yield increased revenue. — — On the topic of helping with the bottom line, free food waste reduction seminars would certainly […]

April 5, 2013 | Also posted in College, Friday Buffet | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

Love this idea: a Love Your Leftovers site from the UN Environmental Programme. Add your favorite leftovers recipe to the site and you might win a prize and/or become web-famous. — — The Iowa Senate passed an interesting bill on Wednesday that would require the state to promote food waste reduction and recovery. The Des […]

March 29, 2013 | Also posted in Composting, Friday Buffet, Leftovers | Comments closed

Food Packaging: Lesser of Two Evils

With food packaging, you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Too much, and you’re using unnecessary materials. Too little and you’re risking damaged food in transit and elsewhere. I suppose the ideal is going uber-local and bringing your own reusable containers like at Austin’s in.gredients (check out their incredible 6-month sustainability numbers). But until that sweeps […]

March 13, 2013 | Also posted in Energy, Environment, Storage | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

During a recent panel on food waste, the California Board of Food and Agriculture announced a goal to double the amount of produce donated to the California Association of Food Banks’ Farm to Family program by 2015. That’s exciting because it will mean more nutritious foods going to those in need. And wasted food takes on added significance in California, given […]

March 8, 2013 | Also posted in College, Farm, Food Recovery, Leftovers | Comments closed

Want Something Wonky?

This week we learned that more than 80 percent of Britons are willing to buy produce of imperfect shape or color. At least that’s what they said when asked that in a poll conducted by The Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Note–they weren’t asked about fruits and vegetables with blemishes or bruises, but just the so-called “ugly” fruits […]

February 28, 2013 | Also posted in Supermarket | Comments closed

China Hates Waste?

It’s never a bad thing when the world’s most populous country turns its gaze to food waste. And China is doing just that, thanks to Xi Jinping, the new Communist Party chief and the presumed next President. Xi prompted this newfound attention with a few words in response to an article on China’s rampant food waste. As […]

February 22, 2013 | Also posted in History and Culture | Comments closed

Visiting Food Bank Estonia

I am currently in Estonia for the Clean World Brainstorm organized by Let’s Do It! I’m honored to be one of 50 or so waste thinkers from around the globe here to brainstorm about how to reduce waste and clean up the planet. I’ll report back on our progress in a few days. Yesterday, though, […]

January 30, 2013 | Also posted in Food Recovery | Comments closed

This Just In: Think. Eat. Save

Exciting News: The UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the UN Environmental Program and several other partners have joined forces to create Think. Eat. Save, a one-stop shop for your anti-food-waste needs. The global campaign kicked off on January 22, and it aims to accelerate awareness and action on food waste. It’s always encouraging to see […]

January 23, 2013 | Posted in International | Comments closed