On Friday, I oversaw a waste weigh at Bucknell University. I updated Friday’s post with the results, but I want to provide more context. Here goes… The logistics: students scraped their plate remains into a clear container atop a large scale. This waste weigh setup was just in front of the plate return belt, making [...]
Recently, I filmed a video comment for The Point, a discussion show on the online TYT Network. Here’s the entire webisode, which tackles a nice combination of food topics. My video and the food waste discussion begin at about 17:00. By the way, I’m also skeptical on whether we’ll ever eradicate hunger. That would mean we–the [...]
I’m spending this week at Bucknell University as an expert-in-residence. The O.V.W. Hawkins Expert-in-Residence, if you insist on proper nouns. I’m honored and humbled. This is one of four visits that I’ll make this academic year, and if all the visits are this engaging and interesting, it’ll be quite an experience. Thus far, I’ve talked to [...]
Here’s a neat one: UseTheFood is a free site that helps you find recipes to…use the food. Your food, that is. As of today, the startup goes from private beta to public beta. In other words, you can search the listings. I haven’t looked through it much, but I like the a feature that allows you [...]
This summer, I’m trying to collect an alphabet of summer squash. It’s sure to be a futile quest–an X??–but it’s fun to try. This weekend at the farmers’ market, I found my next entry. So in addition to C and J, here’s…an S: The aim of this pet project is to champion the idea that real [...]
In the UK, the quasi-governmental agency WRAP launched the Hospitality and Food Services Agreement, which allows restaurants to pledge a 5% food and packaging waste reduction by 2015. Domino’s, McDonald’s, Unilever and 2o-odd others have signed on in Britain. Exciting news, but I fear that the companies will focus on packaging (which would be useful, but not [...]
Recently, I worked with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization to create a fact sheet on food waste. Or rather, on food wastage, a term we created to incorporate food losses and waste. Ah, semantics! I think the final product turned out pretty well. It’s informative and attractive (thanks to the designers). Anyone looking for [...]
Next up in this burgeoning series of alphabet cucumbers, is this fabulous J. Or, as I call him, J Cuke. Given my first name, I’m quite fond of this cuke. I’m going to have a hard time bringing myself to cut into it. Then again–who am I kidding?–it won’t be that hard. This curved cuke, [...]
A personal update: I recently began working with a local non-profit called Farmer Foodshare. It’s a neat organization that redistributes farmers’ market excess to those in need while supporting small farmers. Here’s how it works: Market shoppers donate money (or food). We use that money to buy from farmers. At the end of the market, farmers [...]
Here’s exhibit A on why I love farmers’ markets (and vegetable gardens). Where else is there a market for something as unique-looking as this?! The conventional retail system has no use for this kind of cucumber. It’d never leave the farm. But–you’ll never believe it–this curvy cuke tasted a) like a regular cucumber and b) [...]
