Ever think about how much energy goes into your food? In the U.S., it takes about 10 units of fossil energy to produce one unit of food energy.
After years of being treated like chopped liver, the issue of food waste is finally getting its due, and rightfully so. It is a huge environmental and social problem that we need to tackle immediately.
The average American family of four throws away the equivalent of up to $2,275 annually in food; just one of many astonishing facts in a new analysis by NRDC.
A summary of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) 2012 issue paper on food waste that adeptly frames the increasingly popular topic and summarizes the opportunities to reduce wasted food - and money - along its journey from farm to landfill.
While supervising a recycling and waste disposal program, Wayne Koeckeritz was so bothered by all the food waste destined for the landfill that he did something about it. He quit his job as a facility manager of a luxury hotel, bought a used garbage truck and set out to turn food trash into compost treasure with his hauling company, Food Waste Disposal.
On November 17, Manhattan’s American Museum of Natural History opened its newest exhibit, Our Global Kitchen. The exhibition leads museum visitors on a meandering path from farm to fork, with a stop in the middle for fresh-pressed cider made from real New York apples.
Superstorm Sandy revealed how creative, sustainable solutions can make a difference in hard-hit areas, while aging and outdated infrastructure have compounded problems.
During the holiday season, the mindset of overabundance and a house full of dinner guests can lead to even more waste. We asked Jonathan Bloom, author of American Wasteland, why food waste in our country is so high and what we can do to help ourselves and others during the holiday season.
All of us at Ecocentric are reflecting on the New Year and making our resolutions to make 2013 happy, healthy and sustainable. If you are similarly inclined, we have tons of resources here on the blog and at our new GRACE website. To get you started, here are some tips to help you have a lean, green 2013.
"Food, Water and Energy: Know the Nexus" describes how and where food, water and energy systems intersect, how they rely upon each other to function and how they can have a significant impact on each other.
'Food, Water and Energy: Know the Nexus' explains how food, water and energy systems are connected, how and where these systems intersect, how they rely upon each other to function and how they can have a significant impact on each other.
Our paper, "Food, Water and Energy: Know the Nexus," explains that when the food, water and energy nexus becomes unbalanced, there are clear consequences for public health, our economy and the environment.
Meet FoodStar and its courageous partner Andronico's Community Market. Together, they are taking a chance on the idea that maybe we consumers aren't as picky as most supermarkets seem to think we are. Maybe we'd be willing to buy a slightly smaller apple that only has 37 percent red coverage instead of the requisite 40 percent needed to qualify as the "fancy" grade that stores usually buy (yes, it's actually measured).
While the food, water and energy nexus may be a new concept for many of us, there are numerous examples of individuals, businesses and governments that already benefit from taking a nexus approach. Here are just four
examples of people who, because they strongly believe in sustainability, are mindful of how these three systems interact.
What can the trashing of 13,200 boxes of Girl Scout cookies tell us about America's food waste problem and our food system?