Tag Archives: EPA

Something To Shoot For: US Sets Food Waste Reduction Goal

Today, the USDA and EPA joined forces with charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, food companies and local governments to set the first ever national food waste reduction goal. For sure, it’s a happy day in the land of wasted food. Yet my initial elation is now tempered with a few reservations. The Great: It’s a whopper! […]

September 16, 2015 | Posted in Campaigns, Stats | Comments closed

Looking Back, Then Ahead

2014 has been a banner year for fighting food waste. There many successes to celebrate, including those on the policy level: Massachusetts’ ban on commercial food waste to landfills went into effect on October 1, The Milan Protocol included a goal of 50 percent reduction in food waste by 2020, and the USDA streamlined procedures for […]

December 31, 2014 | Posted in International, Legislation, Waste Ban | Comments closed

Redefining ‘Reduce’

Small bone to pick here: Several times a week I get excited by headlines like this one: Darden Restaurants Working to Reduce Food Waste. I leap into the story, looking for confirmation that a restaurant is actually trimming the amount of food waste their kitchen and/or customers are creating. Almost invariably, I realize that they’re not doing […]

May 1, 2014 | Posted in Restaurant | Comments closed

Food for Thought

I just came across this recent EPA infographic on waste and particularly enjoyed this portion: That 95% statistic comes from the EPA’s Municipal Solid Waste report, which shows that composting levels have doubled from 2008 to 2012. (It went from 2.3% to 4.8%.) While those low amounts enable such dramatic improvement, at least we’re improving! I also […]

April 4, 2014 | Posted in Campaigns, Environment, Household, Stats | Comments closed

Monday Roundup

The LeftoverSwap app that facilitates giving one’s leftovers to others launches August 30 (for iPhones). But…is it legal?? — — You gonna use that pomace? Using the excess seeds, skin and stems from wine-making process is all the rage.  — — All 30 National Hockey League teams will donate unsold concessions through old-school food rescuers […]

August 12, 2013 | Posted in Composting, Environment, Food Recovery, Leftovers, Waste Stream | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

File under ‘rising tide of food waste coverage:’ National Geographic ran this neat piece on how cities manage to compost their abundant food waste. — — Three Hawaiian universities have signed on to fight food waste. Hawaiian food waste takes on a heightened importance, as that food has probably been imported and it’ll likely be exported, […]

June 21, 2013 | Posted in Composting, Friday Buffet, History and Culture, School | Comments closed

USDA, EPA Partner To Tackle Food Waste

The USDA and EPA kicked off the US Food Waste Challenge today in Washington, D.C. The launch event, timed to coincide (loosely) with World Environment Day, featured speeches on the importance of food waste from Secretary of Ag Tom Vilsack and acting EPA chief Bob Persiasepe, in addition to private sector partners. By just about any […]

June 4, 2013 | Posted in Environment | Comments closed

USDA Challenges US to Waste Less Food

I’ve been fairly critical of the USDA in the past for not doing enough to combat food waste. But I’m excited to report that the Department of Agriculture is will launch the U.S. Food Waste Challenge in a few weeks. The campaign, in conjunction with the EPA, will challenge food producers, manufacturers and retailers–really everyone […]

May 22, 2013 | Posted in Farm, Legislation | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

The NRDC is at it again, this time publishing an issue brief on fruit and vegetable loss at the farm and packing level. Hot off the press! — — Here are a few Big Facts: 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted globally every year. That equates to 6-10% of human-generated greenhouse gas emissions. — […]

December 14, 2012 | Posted in College, Composting, Environment, International, Stats | Comments closed

Reducing Waste For The Win

Forget Monday’s boring national championship game. The real college champion crowned this week is Marist College. Yup–Marist! The pride of Poughkeepsie (N.Y.) won the EPA WasteWise Game Day Challenge in the Per Capita Organics Reduction category. If you select ‘Organics Reduction’ in the pulldown menu, you will see that tiny Marist destroyed the competition, outpacing […]

January 11, 2012 | Posted in College, Waste Stream | Comments closed