In the glow of President-elect Obama’s victory watershed win, Rep. John Lewis, a Georgia Democrat, made the TV rounds, putting the moment in perspective. Lewis, a hero of the civil rights movement and a member of congress for more than 20 years, has a unique vantage point from which to comment on last night’s historic results.
Lewis’ talked about the road ahead this morning on NBC’s Today:
We’ve got to get our economy out of the ditch, end the war in Iraq and bring our young men and women home, provide health care for all our citizens. And he’s going to call on us, I believe, to sacrifice. We all must give up something.
I hope President-elect Obama (can’t get enough of that phrase!) does just that. And what better place to start sacrificing than with food waste?
I’m not asking you to eat less or even forgo dessert. The sacrifice I’m talking about is a small one: taking the mindlessness out of the mindless eating that creates so much food waste.
We all need to take a hard look at how we buy, store and cook food. Plan out meals and avoid buying fresh foods you wish you had the time or inclination to cook, but don’t.
Take stock of what you have before you go shopping. Make a grocery list.
Serve reasonable portions and let people take seconds if they want more. Save leftovers and don’t forget to eat them. If you’re not fond of leftovers, make less.
Take note of the food you throw away or put down your disposal. Make changes based on what you see. And if you have the space, compost.
None of these changes are that hard, they just take a little effort. We can do it. Yes we can.
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