On Monday, the Freakonomics Blog made a, well, economical case for why we should care more about food waste than packaging waste. Writing as a Super Freak(onomics member), James McWilliams provided a neat summary of why I don’t write more about food packaging.
In a word, it’s methane:
But if you take the packaging away and focus [...]

In a move that should surprise no one, Portland will test a household food waste pickup system in 2,000 homes come April. Great idea, great quote:
Portland’s solid waste and recycling manager, Bruce Walker, says, “We’re coming right into their kitchen saying, ‘Please change your habits.’ “
— —
Keep sandwich thieves away with these faux-mold bags. A [...]

Who says technology and food waste avoidance don’t mix? That combination works quite well–just ask LeanPath.
Which brings us to RFID tags, a microchip with an antenna that transmits information wirelessly to a reader. These tags are are now being used in Europe to track pallets’ progress through the “cool chain.” A Dutch company, a German retailer and a [...]

Here’s a look inside the food-waste-to-energy plant in Oakland. Hey Bay Area folks, keep your oyster shells, rags and rocks out of the compost!
— —
Using watermelon cast-offs to make fuel? Seriously? I thought watermelon was about 99% water? And which have more energy–original or seedless?
Of course, it’d be great if we weren’t so superficial about [...]

I recently came across Still Tasty, and I give it two thumbs up. The site provides a reference for how long food will stay both safe and, yes, tasty. In doing so, it strikes a nice balance between providing official information and realism.
Their take on expiration dates is spot on. And the Keep it or [...]

A Scottish entrepreneur just launched a site that will enable grocers to sell goods approaching their ‘best by’ date to bargain hunting consumers.
Unfortunately, I don’t know what the site is called. That’s because this article–in a stunning feat of journalistic incompetence–doesn’t provide the name or URL. While I’m complaining, a second source (on this new [...]

The Dell Social Innovation Competition is on right now. The $50,000 competition calls on college students worldwide to come up with ideas to change our planet. A humble goal, but a noble one.
Anyway, one of the entries proposes to link food donors with food banks and soup kitchens via the Web. This joint venture by [...]

After seeing me on the Today Show, the friendly folks at Reynolds sent me a Handi-Vac vacuum sealer to test. Never one to shun freebies, especially those that might prevent food waste, I set out to do some experimenting.
This weekend, I began testing a Handi-Vac against a Ziploc bag. I stored green beans in a [...]

Here’s a neat idea: six Seattle area families held a contest to see who could cut the most weight from their garbage. The winning family trimmed its trash by 82 percent in just six weeks.
Sure, it helps that King County allows residents to put food waste in the yard waste bin that is collected, but [...]

Yesterday’s Times article has prompted some spirited discussion in this Boing Boing forum, which is wonderful. And healthy.
I contemplated commenting in that forum, but had waaay too much to say. Instead, I’ve compiled some of my reactions to the comments here, with reference to the order of their appearance in the thread:
(19) People really want [...]