“40% of all food produced in the United States goes to waste every year”
by Michael Fackler,
The Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts organized a conference calling on the expertise of the national and international heavy hitters in the food waste business. The main topic was wasted food and how we, as a population, can make strides to reduce the overall amount of wasted [pull_quote_right]I was there to learn and make invaluable contacts to change the future of our waste system and economy associated with the waste.[/pull_quote_right] food in the world and increase the amount of hungry people fed using “rescued” food. It was a diverse crowd, from NGO’s to private sector big business to all levels of government, which made for a very honest and captivating conversation. The title of this all-star conference? Reduce and Recover, Save Food For People. Genius.
[pull_quote_left]Cincinnati had a decent showing![/pull_quote_left]That genius was embodied by the gathered presenters and attendees. From San Diego to England, people traveled from far places to come listen to what the experts had to say as well as share their ideas for how to help with this pandemic. Surprisingly, Cincinnati had a decent showing! La Soupe was there and seemed to create a huge buzz with their innovative programs, Steve Rock from the EPA Cincinnati Branch was there to speak about establishing a business case for the measurement of waste, and I was there to learn and make invaluable contacts to change the future of our waste system and economy associated with the waste.
[quote_box_left]Apps have taken over the food waste world; apps like SpoilerAlert show when food is becoming less desirable and helps drives sales of that product by offering discounts on that item.[/quote_box_left] Innovation took center stage; everywhere you looked, every corner you turned, it was apparent that something exciting was happening. Apps have taken over the food waste world; apps like SpoilerAlert show when food is becoming less desirable and helps drives sales of that product by offering discounts on that item. The title of food waste really doesn’t do this issue justice, in all actuality it is the issue of wasted food. Right about now, you are probably asking yourself the same question that I was at the beginning of the conference-What is the difference? The easy answer is the effect that it has on people’s mindset. When someone says, ”That’s a lot of food waste” one might picture a heap of rotting, smelly, ugly produce such as brown apple cores and shriveling banana peels but when someone says, “That’s a lot of wasted food” one might think about the amount of fresh produce that grocery stores throw out because it looks different or the milk in the cooler that nobody will buy because the sell by date is close to the current [quote_box_right]Date labels have a huge impact on the amount of food that people throw out; if the label says sell by august 1st and its July 31st, nobody will buy that milk even though that milk could be good until august 5th or 6th, it is a lack of education that needs to be attended to immediately.[/quote_box_right]date that day. Date labels have a huge impact on the amount of food that people throw out; if the label says sell by august 1st and its July 31st, nobody will buy that milk even though that milk could be good until august 5th or 6th, it is a lack of education that needs to be attended to immediately.
You see, 40% of all food produced in the United States goes to waste every year. This is why the change in mindset is so important, wasted food carries an emotional overtone which resonates with all people; most people can think back and think of a time when a parent, grandparent, or adult has told them not to waste the good food that was prepared for them..
This is what made the Reduce and Recover conference special. It sparked conversation about wasted food and how it can be transformed into something tasty and filled with nutrients. For example, Doug Rauch, former president of Trader Joe’s, started the company Daily Table, a grocery store that sells meals made out of rescued food for pennies on the dollar. Another panelist, Tristram Stuart, founded the charity Feedback, whose goal is to educate people about wasted food through the Feeding 5000 program a program that brings people together to eat food that would’ve otherwise gone to waste while also educating them about the benefits of utilizing this food through celebrity chefs and guest speakers. He also founded Toast Ale Ltd., a brewery in England that uses wasted bread to brew beer. There were too many special people with great ideas to list in this article but I am sure you get the gist; the people at this conference were international thought leaders and passionate people.
[pull_quote_right]As an 18 year old recent Loveland High School graduate, I know firsthand that this issue can only be solved with the contribution of younger generations.[/pull_quote_right]As an 18 year old recent Loveland High School graduate, I know firsthand that this issue can only be solved with the contribution of younger generations. My peers should know that their work in the food recovery industry can make a [pull_quote_left]I have been told my entire life to leave places better than I found them. If my generation wants to leave this earth better than we found it, we must be engaged.[/pull_quote_left]difference, decreasing carbon emissions, solid waste, and pollution to make the planet a better place for future generations. At almost every sustainability conference I attend, I am the only, “kid” in the room. Yet, I have been told my entire life to leave places better than I found them. If my generation wants to leave this earth better than we found it, we must be engaged.
[quote_box_right]Everyone is a stakeholder in reducing the amount of wasted food from policy makers down to children in the primary grades, Schools can create programs to help educate the younger grades and reduce the food that goes to waste from lunches, businesses can cut down on their portion sizes or give out mandatory doggy bags in an attempt to reduce the food waste, and finally, consumers can decrease their desire to order more food than they can eat.[/quote_box_right]The Reduce and Recover Conference created a forum in which new ideas and connections could be made to reduce wasted food in the US. This forum is the start of the great movement which is zeroing in on zero wasted food in the United States. It is a movement that is growing at an astounding pace in the United States. Everyone is a stakeholder in reducing the amount of wasted food from policy makers down to children in the primary grades, Schools can create programs to help educate the younger grades and reduce the food that goes to waste from lunches, businesses can cut down on their portion sizes or give out mandatory doggy bags in an attempt to reduce the food waste, and finally, consumers can decrease their desire to order more food than they can eat.
We can have a significant impact on world hunger, conservation of our scarce natural resources, and green house gas production from transportation as well as the production of wasted food by educating consumers and implementing innovations that were presented at this conference. While this was a gathering of high-level thinkers with passion and expertise, we all must engage in the battle against wasted food and join together to reduce, reuse and respect this critical resource in our efforts to create a sustainable food system in the United States and the world.
Michael Fackler graduated from Loveland High School in 2016
and will attend The Ohio State University in the fall.
