Wasting No Time Analyzing New Waste Study

The Institute of Mechanical Engineers just released a major study on global food waste. It’s always exciting to see further research on food waste come to light and Global Food: Waste Not, Want Not is no exception.

Its major finding is that 30 to 50% of the world’s food never reaches human stomachs. The lower figure isn’t anything new, but the high end is.

I’ll post further thoughts after I’ve had a chance to fully digest the report, but here are three quick thoughts:

1. Mechanical engineers did this study. That’s not at all a bad thing, but it certainly influences the proceedings. There’s more emphasis on mechanized harvesting. And true to the group’s vision of “Improving the world through engineering,” the report urges:

…engineers need to act now and promote sustainable ways to reduce waste from the farm to the supermarket and to the consumer.

2. There’s not enough emphasis on behavior change. It’s not just that engineers need to act, we all do! The report’s authors don’t imply that these are mutually exclusive, but it would be nice to see some attention paid to individuals’ agency. For example, the third major recommendation:

Governments in developed nations devise and implement policy that changes consumer expectations. These should discourage retailers from wasteful practices that lead to the rejection of food on the basis of cosmetic characteristics, and losses in the home due to excessive purchasing by consumers.

Sure, that could work. But another idea would be to encourage stores and consumers voluntarily make these changes. Not just to wait for government policy to prompt action.

3. We need to be careful about the numbers. As thoroughly examined by Brian Wernham, the media in the UK (where the report was produced) have been quick to ignore the lower figure in 30-50% waste estimate. To be fair, this is not the report author’s fault. And its likely the headline writers more than the reporters. But still.

January 10, 2013 | Posted in International, Stats | Comments closed

Fresh From the Garbage

If this video doesn’t make you want to go dumpster diving, I doubt anything will.

Waste Cooking is an Austrian reality show that began airing on television in December (episodes are also online minus the subtitles). Divers hunt and gather what treasures they can from the trash and hold public cooking demonstrations to tempt passersby to try their gourmet, formerly trash concoctions. Hilarity ensues. And, hopefully, some learning and awareness.

The group has a great logo and a neat slogan: “Food is culture…Don’t Waste it–Cook it!” And they have also created this engrossing short film.

To read more on Waste Cooking, check out this informative post in The Salt blog.

January 7, 2013 | Posted in Freegan, International | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

Since food prices are set to increase in 2013, it’s the perfect time to cut waste to keep your food costs steady. The Globe and Mail concurs.

Meanwhile, that article contains the astounding fact that “Canadian households waste 38 per cent of their food purchased in store and restaurants.” Whoa.

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This Pittsburgh Post-Gazette piece provides a solid snapshot on American food waste. And then the author followed it up with this think piece on dumpster diving!

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Hong Kong food waste increased by 11 percent from 2010 to 2011. That’s why it’s heartening to learn (in the same article) that the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions is recovering fresh food.

And while Hong Kong’s 1.1 pounds (0.5 kg) daily per capita food waste is sizable, it’s dwarfed by the U.S. figure of 1.5 pounds!

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Not quite sure what a “Food + Technology trend” is, but it’s always encouraging to see food waste make lists like this Forbes one.  It’s validation that the issue is finally receiving some attention.

And here’s a bit on how the American food industry is wising up on waste. More wising up, please!

January 4, 2013 | Posted in Friday Buffet, Household, International, Supermarket | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

At last–a peer-reviewed analysis of trayless dining! Two American University researchers found that removing trays at their all-you-can-eat cafeteria cut food waste by 32%. What’s more, diners use 27% fewer dishes, leading to water and energy savings.

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As we learn here, cutting food waste would go a long way toward making our food system more sustainable. And I’ll be speaking at the Sustainable Foods Summit in January where the issue will be a main focus.

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This post considers the economic impact of US food waste. At the retail and consumer level alone it’s $165 billion.

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Finally, there’s a slightly better chance that Massachusetts residents can compost their holiday leftovers (but not the edible kind, of course) this year, after the state tweaked permitting rules in late November to encourage composting and anaerobic digestion facilities.

December 21, 2012 | Posted in Anaerobic Digestion, College, Composting, Energy, Environment, Stats, Trayless | Comments closed

Yule Waste Less

Ashley Koff recently asked on Twitter when I was going to post some simple waste-saving tips for the holidays. Good question, Ashley! Here goes:

While I already covered similar ground in a longer Thanksgiving post, here’s a simplified version:

1. Get a firm head count. Knowing how many people you’ll be hosting helps the planning.

2. Buy less food. While abundance is part of the deal on Thanksgiving, it is less so during the winter holidays. Don’t buy food for 20 when you’re serving 10. This turkey size calculator from a biased, but well-versed source–Butterball–is useful. If you’re having more of a cocktail party, here’s a guide for the amount of finger foods to provide.

3. Serve less or let people serve themselves (although keep in mind these food safety tips on buffets).

4. No clean plate, no presents! (joking)

4. Relax. Eating slowly, enjoying your family’s company (this may be harder for some than others) and being mindful eaters will reduce waste.

5. Don’t let food sit out too long. The longer items stay unrefrigerated–or between 40 to 140 degrees F–the more you’re allowing food-spoiling bacteria growth. Foods should be refrigerated within two hours at worst.

6. Store leftovers in airtight containers. Don’t just throw foods in the fridge to get them out of sight. It only takes a few minutes, so tell Uncle Bob to put down the egg nog and help!

7. Redistribute leftovers. Ask guests to bring their own containers or have extras on hand to dole out excess perishable foods–not just the cookies.

8. Buy fewer groceries in the buildup to your gathering. This will not only make room in the fridge, but also to incentivize your family to eat the leftovers.

9. Plan creative reuses for holiday food. There are only so many goose sandwiches one can eat. Having a few use-it-up recipes in mind will help get you excited about repurposing leftovers. If that doesn’t do it, consider how much money you’ve invested in that holiday food.

10. Don’t serve fruitcake.  (Kidding…mostly)

Happy Holidays!

December 19, 2012 | Posted in History and Culture, Household | 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!

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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.

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When the clock stikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, residents of Bowen Island (in Metro Vancouver) will not be allowed to throw out food scraps. This move is part of Vancouver’s plan to divert all organic waste from landfill by 2015 and cut waste in half by 2020.

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As part of the EPA Food Recovery Challenge, Arizona’s three public universities have set a 5% reduction goal over the next year. Laudable and doable!

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New Hampshire’s Keene State University is tackling cafeteria food waste, or at least they’re keen to. Yep…must be Friday.

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

Positive Signs

During my previous trip to Bucknell, where I have a series of week-long engagements, I visited Nancy White’s Mindful Consumption class a few times. The students then had an assignment to create awareness-raising signs on food waste.

To my great delight, these signs are now hanging in Bucknell’s (trayless) cafeteria, where John Cummins and his crew from Parkhurst Dining Services have been great partners in tackling food waste. What’s more, a few signs will soon decorate Bucknell dorms and frats!

Here are a few examples of this awesome student work:

December 12, 2012 | Posted in College, Personal | Comments closed

Leftover Love from High Above

The UK Environment Secretary is a cabinet member and holds duties similar to the US Secretary of Agriculture and the head of the EPA. So when Environment Secretary Owen Paterson talks about the need to use our leftovers, my ears perk up.

In a speech launching a sustainable food initiative with the Women’s Institute, Paterson spoke on food waste in general and using leftovers:

There is this cult of perfection. It is ridiculous to throw ugly fruit and vegetables away. The supermarkets can do something about that. I think these high profile chefs can also do something about it…Cookbooks in the 1970s and 1980s always have had chapters on using up scraps and leftovers. But this stopped in the 1990s. That is a little tiny area where you can change culture. Lots of food can be rehashed together and it is perfectly good.

Owen Paterson

Paterson pointed to British celebrity chefs Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver as potential allies in raising awareness on waste and called on them to do more. “Yes I think they can help. People pay a lot of attention to them. These food pundits are now major national figures and do have an influence,” Paterson said.

Whether or not it’s fair to single out Jamie and Nigella, is debatable. But here’s what’s not: the profile for waste continues to rise in the UK. And that’s a neat holiday gift to the rest of us.

December 10, 2012 | Posted in International, Leftovers | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

Thanks for the tips on avoiding food waste, Dr. Weil!

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There’s an appropriate mood to this fabulous European Union-made video on food waste. Lamenting? Melancholy?

Also–awesome disclaimer at the end of the video: “All the food used during the shooting of this clip has been cooked and eaten by the crew.”

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Hong Kong continues to focus on food waste, and for good reason: 40 percent of solid waste there is food! (It’s about 20 percent in the US.)

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And so it begins…the first Christmas food waste article I’ve seen this year. What took so long?!

December 7, 2012 | Posted in Friday Buffet, International, Waste Stream | Comments closed

A Spot of History

Our friend Kirsten Bourne, marketing director for San Francisco’s Bi-Rite Market, was at a British-themed party recently and came across the tome to the right. She kindly sent me a passage from these instructions for US personnel headed to Britain during World War II.

As you can see in the text below, the manual has some explicit advice for American Servicemen regarding waste. In short, “…when you destroy or waste food you have wasted the life of another sailor.”

The instructions are also enlightening on what food and fuel meant in wartime Britain. In contrast to the food-rich US, Britain relied upon imported food (and fuel). During World War II, when the German navy threatened all shipments, British sailors risked their lives to secure such supplies. In addition to the need to feed soldiers, this risk provided all the more reason not to waste food.

I’ve never seen stronger anti-waste words. And I’d never heard such a direct correlation between food waste and ‘the ultimate sacrifice.’ Hopefully the below passage reminds us how fortunate most of us are and inspires us to avoid waste in honor of those past sacrifices.


December 5, 2012 | Posted in History and Culture, International | Comments closed