Category Archives: Friday Buffet

Ins and outs from the week in food waste

Friday Buffet

It must be Carrot Week here. This post, after a nice food waste primer, traces the not-so-nice journey of our orange friends (in the “A Small Experiment with Carrots” part). To wit: …an organic farmer growing carrots can reasonably expect between 40% and 60% of his carrots to be rejected. — — Food seal? No, Food-sealing. Oh.  Who […]

January 11, 2008 | Posted in Friday Buffet | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

Those crazy Brits are at it again, using chocolate waste (an oxymoron?) to power vehicles. The BioTruck team converts it into biodiesel and drove all the way to Timbuktu on the choco-fuel in “the world’s first carbon-negative expedition.” — — Staying in Britain, The Times has an interesting profile of the queen of food recycling, […]

January 4, 2008 | Also posted in Food Recovery, International | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

I haven’t tried Green Bags yet, but the produce preserving plastic bags’ Web site sure makes an annoying a convincing case. Reviews of the product are mostly positive.  — — Looking for a fresh start in 2008? One idea is to clean out the fridge by making some simple meals with its contents. Seattle blogger Jack, of the Fifth Flavor, provides […]

December 28, 2007 | Also posted in Household, International | Comments closed

Friday Buffet: Christmas Edition

Here’s some food for thought when you’re out shopping for your Christmas meal or New Year’s bash: UK food waste increases by 80 percent during the Christmas and New Year’s period. — — This article provides some all-purpose green tips for the red and green season. The food-related advice is similar to that given on […]

December 21, 2007 | Also posted in History and Culture, Household | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

Not sure how I missed these Plates and bowls from food waste! It’s a neat use for peels and scraps, but I’m not sure I’d want my dinnerware “imparting” smells on my food. — — In honor of Mitt Romney: even Brigham Young despised food waste.  — — On the surface, this story of a Japanese […]

December 14, 2007 | Also posted in Events, Restaurant | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

The Ball Sate University student paper had a behind-the-scenes look at college cafeteria dishwashing. In addition to making me want French toast sticks, the article provided this insight:  Sophomore dishwasher Sara Morand, a chemistry and theater studies major, said students left waste constantly, especially unopened food, which the washers had to throw away. — — Sticking […]

December 7, 2007 | Also posted in College, Composting, Restaurant | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

From Kansas City to Washington, food scrap collection is progressing. The King County (Seattle area) food waste Web site is filled with useful tips and facts like: The average single-family household in King County throws away 45 pounds of food scraps every month. — —  Years ago, you left your heart in San Francisco. Today, you can […]

November 30, 2007 | Also posted in Energy, Waste Stream | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

From Reed College to the National Review, we’re really spanning the political spectrum this week. The conservative magazine has pretty fair article on how the Federal School Lunch Program wastes food and money. Wasted food costs the government $600 million every year, with fruits and vegetables accounting for 42 percent of that waste. This G.A.O. report supplies […]

November 16, 2007 | Also posted in College, Household, School, Stats | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

In case you haven’t read it, check out this incredibly sensible Michael Pollan op-ed on the farm bill. He argues that the long-standing federal farm policy subsidizes fats and sugars, increasing obesity rates and making processed foods cheaper. — — An employee at Panera Bread blogged about sandwich shop food waste. OK, so maybe I […]

November 9, 2007 | Also posted in College, Farm, Institutional, Restaurant | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

Some Britons have called for a return to World War II era values. Hmm. If that means being more careful with our food, I’m all for it. If it means eating more bubble and squeak–pass. — — Random food waste note of the week: Weddings in Kyrgyzstan avoid food waste by making sure leftovers are split amongst attendees. […]

November 2, 2007 | Also posted in Household, International | Comments closed