Category Archives: International

Best Before When?

The last two weeks, English writer Jonathan Maitland selflessly sacrificed life and limb, or at least his stomach, to test “best before” dates. What began with eggs one day past their “use-by” date, ended with a bowl of Sultana Bran (Raisin Bran) 12 weeks beyond the manufacturers’ cut-off day. The “Best Before Challenge” and the […]

June 9, 2008 | Also posted in Food Safety, Household | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

Seattle never ceases to amaze. The Seattle Food Recovery Initiative is doing wonderful things, including this Hunger Map that encourages and facilitates food donations. The map has helped restaurants like the Capitol Grille do their part. — — Here’s an insightful Hartford Courant editorial, which, I couldn’t help but notice, notes that my alma mater, Wesleyan University, […]

June 6, 2008 | Also posted in College, Composting, Energy, Food Recovery, Friday Buffet | Comments closed

Food Waste at the Summit?

While it is tempting to talk more about my pantry, I suppose I should address the UN world food crisis summit taking place in Rome. Yesterday, the gathering kicked off with an address by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. According to a report from NPR’s All Things Considered, Ban referenced wealthy nations “wasteful and excess […]

June 4, 2008 | Also posted in Hunger | Comments closed

Spilled Milk

Here’s how hard it is to be a dairy farmer–even when you’re on strike, you still have to get up at 4 in the morning to milk the cows. After all, they’re not gonna milk themselves… I mention this because Germany’s dairy farmers are now striking. And here’s the part I’m crying over: The farmers […]

June 3, 2008 | Also posted in Farm | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

While the prices of many foods are rising, you can’t say that about some edibles. This graphic shows some traditional barbecue items have decreased in the last ten years (after adjusting for inflation). — — Here’s a neat web segment (and accompanying blog post) in which a restaurant owner explains why she composts. Oh Portland, […]

May 30, 2008 | Also posted in Composting, Energy, Events, Friday Buffet | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

This just in from the Not In My Backyard Our Park Department: A British Columbia business association requested that a church stop handing out food donations in a park because it was attracting too many “indigent people.” I guess the association won’t go for this plan, then. — — Food waste and water loss are […]

May 23, 2008 | Also posted in Friday Buffet, Household, Personal, Restaurant, Waste Stream | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

Food journalist extraordinaire Samuel Fromartz tells us that Las Vegas consumes more shrimp than the rest of the U.S. combined! That must be a sizable number, given Red Lobster’s inclinations. The Vegas tally: a not-so-shrimpy 60,000 pounds per day, or the weight of about three male Asian elephants. I wonder what percent of the shrimp […]

May 16, 2008 | Also posted in Friday Buffet, Household | Comments closed

Swift Solution to UK Food Waste

Who says humor and food waste can’t be in the same sentence? While the news that Britain wastes about a third of its food is no laughing matter, this bit of satire on the topic is just that. I think you’ll find the piece a modest proposal for solving Britain’s food waste woes. Note how […]

May 14, 2008 | Posted in International | Comments closed

Labor Down, Waste Up

As bemoaned in this editorial, immigration law in Colorado leads to food waste by reducing the number of workers. When there aren’t enough laborers, or “pickers”, the harvest is often squandered (unless it’s not a great year). Commercial orchards resemble the scene underneath your neighbor’s fig tree, as apples, pears, peaches, etc. “go to ground.” […]

May 13, 2008 | Also posted in Farm, General | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

Mandatory food waste recycling in San Francisco? It has been voluntary for a few years (using green bins like this minature on the right), but if Mayor Gavin Newsom’s plan is accepted, separation of household food scraps will be required. Seattle has already committed to that course of action by 2009. — — Here are […]

May 9, 2008 | Also posted in Composting, Friday Buffet, Household | Comments closed