6 Innovators And Leaders In The Fight To Reduce Food Waste
The wastage of food is an ongoing problem that both compounds world hunger and has a detrimental effect on the environment. Thankfully, a number of groups are committed to solving this crisis through advocacy, education, and the creation and promotion of sustainable practices and services. Helping people and organizations around the globe, they envision a healthier, more equitable world food system for all. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.
6 Groups Working To Minimize Food Waste
| Organization | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Apeel Sciences | Develops plant-derived coatings that farmers, suppliers, and retailers can use to keep produce fresh up to three times longer |
| Flashfood | A local marketplace for surplus grocery items, allowing shoppers to buy items at 50% off through its app |
| Champions 12.3 | Coalition of executives dedicated to mobilizing action and accelerating progress toward achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal |
| Cambridge Sustainable Food | Partnership of public, private, and community organizations in Cambridge that works to promote a vibrant local food system all along the supply chain and in the community |
| Foodways Consulting | Advises companies and organizations on issues related to food waste and sustainability, using the MyFoodways app |
| Food Tank | Supports and promotes environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable ways of alleviating hunger, obesity, and poverty, and creates networks of people, organizations, and content to push for food system change |
The Idea Behind Apeel Sciences
Products To Help You Go Green
If you're interested in the environment, you probably know that changing consumer habits is an important part of the fight against climate change. If you want to help save the planet, getting some of these eco-friendly products is a good place to start:
- A set of reusable grocery bags
- Stainless steel straws to replace disposable plastics
- A portable greenhouse where you can grow your own food
- Silicone food bags for taking healthy snacks on-the-go
- A vegan cookbook to help you cut back on meat
- Solar toys that will entertain your kids without using fossil fuels
- Some beeswax wraps, a waste-free way to keep food fresh
- A reusable water bottle
Cultivating Food System Equality
In Depth
The overproduction and subsequent spoilage of food are two of the many problems that our world faces. The environmental damage that comes as a result of this can, however, be remedied by advocating for education, information and cooperation among communities worldwide. Listed in no particular order, here are several environmentally conscious organizations to check out that work to improve our global food system.
Coming in at #1 on our list, Apeel Sciences is a company which develops plant-derived coatings that farmers, suppliers, and retailers can use to keep produce fresh up to three times longer. Their goal is to promote more sustainable growing practices, better quality food, and less waste for everyone. They use organic materials and natural design principles to produce food that works with nature rather than against it.
The company was founded in 2012 by CEO James Rogers when one day, while driving through lush farmland on his way home to Santa Barbara, he realized that there is plenty of food to go around, but the problem is that it spoils quickly. Inspired by nature's strategy for preservation, James began building a barrier out of edible plant materials that would slow down the rate at which food spoils.
Inspired by nature's strategy for preservation, James began building a barrier out of edible plant materials that would slow down the rate at which food spoils.
Next up at #2, the team at Flashfood seek to create a better world for future generations while creating affordable access to food for everyone. The company was inspired by a statistic published in the National Geographic which put forth that if food waste were a country, it would be the third leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions behind the United States and China.
When food ends up in a landfill, it rots in an anaerobic state. This creates methane gas, which is a leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions that are significantly contributing to climate change. Flashfood has created a solution whereby grocers can sell soon-to-be expired produce at 50% off the retail price on the Flashfood app, thereby recovering costs and significantly reducing their carbon footprint.
Moving on to #3, Champions 12.3 is a coalition of executives from governments, businesses, international organizations, research institutions, farmer groups and civil societies all over the world. They are dedicated to inspiring ambition, mobilizing action, and accelerating progress toward achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 by the year 2030.
They are dedicated to inspiring ambition, mobilizing action, and accelerating progress toward achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 by the year 2030.
The aim of SDG 12.3 is to cut global food waste in half at the retail and consumer levels. It also focuses on reducing food losses along production and supply chains. Champions 12.3 was formed during the United Nations General Assembly's Sustainable Development Summit in September 2015 when the government of The Netherlands called for its formation.
#4 on our list, Cambridge Sustainable Food is at the forefront of organizations tackling the interlinked issues of people's health, poverty, waste, and carbon emissions in the United Kingdom. They work with local public, private and community organizations to promote a vibrant local food system all along the supply chain and in their community.
This organization believes that tackling food-related inequality is one of today's most urgent challenges. They seek to inspire change through positive action advocating healthy eating for the well-being of the community and the environment. With experience in all aspects of food sustainability, they offer many services to help local organizations become leaders in sustainability.
With experience in all aspects of food sustainability, they offer many services to help local organizations become leaders in sustainability.
Onwards to #5, Foodways Consulting is a Swiss company based in Bern. Founded in 2013 by Markus Hurschler and Joao Almeida, Foodways advises companies and organizations on issues related to food waste and sustainability. They created the MyFoodways app to support consumers and professionals in finding inspiration for healthy eating and waste reduction.
The MyFoodways app offers recipes that adapt to suit the ingredients that the user has on hand. All of the recipes offer specific storage tips and ideas that help make the most of the produce used, therefore reducing food spoilage. Since plant-based foods tend to be kinder on the environment, MyFoodways suggests a variety of vegetarian dishes while also offering some ideas that incorporate meat for omnivores.
Lastly, at #6, Food Tank is a non-profit organization that is building a global community of healthy and nourished eaters. They aim to educate, inspire, advocate, and create change in the worldwide food system by putting a spotlight on contemporary innovative growing and eating practices. They believe that bringing attention to these innovations will create positive change for our planet.
They aim to educate, inspire, advocate, and create change in the worldwide food system by putting a spotlight on contemporary innovative growing and eating practices.
Food Tank offers solutions and environmentally sustainable ways of alleviating hunger, obesity, and poverty by creating a network of connections and information for people to consume and share. Food Tank is for farmers, producers, policy makers, government leaders, researchers, scientists, academics and journalists to reference when creating new, sustainable solutions for our most pressing environmental and social problems.
