Smart Meters Detect Food Waste — 5 Good Food Ideas
1. Delivery Trucks Powered by Food Waste: British supermarket Waitrose continues to tackle food waste in new and inventive ways. Last year, the grocery chain began selling ‘ugly produce’; now, it’s taking leftover food that cannot be donated and turning it into fuel for its truck fleet. Not only is the gas from food waste 35% cheaper than diesel (which is what the trucks typically run on), but it also emits 70% less carbon dioxide. They project that the new fuel could save the company $100,000 per truck over the truck’s lifetime.
2. Smart Meters for Food Waste: It’s great that we continue to find ways to divert food waste from landfills and repurpose as food for those in need or, in some cases, as renewable fuel, but what about preventing it from happening in the first place? UK startup Winnow aims to do just that. Using a touch screen to record specific food items and a scale to measure the weight of food discarded, Winnow’s smart meter connects with the cloud to help commercial kitchens track, monitor, and analyze their waste patterns. Winnow equips chefs at restaurants with the data to make adjustments to food sourcing and inventory. Co-founder Mark Zones claims that after using Winnow’s technology, restaurants cut food waste on average by 50% after the first year and that 95% see a positive return on investment during that same time.
3. $25 Million for Nutrition Advocacy Group: Daniel Lubetzky, CEO of KIND Snacks, has pledged $25 million to start an advocacy organization that will promote food and health policy based on scientifically sound nutrition studies. Lubetzky believes that corporate food lobbyists have far too much influence over government policies regarding what we eat. The new advocacy organization is called Feed the Truth and aside from funding its launch, Lubetzky will not be involved. A three-person team of nutrition and food advocacy experts (Deb Eschmeyer, Michael Jacobson, and Marion Nestle) will select the organization’s board. According to Lubetzky, the goal of the organization is “to make sure that proper science and nutrition guidance are making their way to consumers.” While it’s unclear yet how Feed the Truth will pursue this goal, the organization’s efforts could include investigative journalism, fact-checking of industry-funded nutrition studies, and consumer education campaigns.
4. Mesh Laundry Bags Could Protect Our Food Supply: Microfiber pollution is an emerging environmental threat. Our clothes (synthetic textiles) shed these microfibers every time they’re washed, leaking into our wastewater and eventually into our rivers and water systems, where they infect plants and animals. While the harm to human health has yet to be validated, studies have already shown harm to plankton and fibers have been found in fish and shellfish. The solution, according to the two founders, is a mesh laundry bag called Guppy Friend, which seals clothes during the wash and prevents fibers from escaping. Patagonia, who has commissioned studies on microfiber pollution, signed up as a partner. The apparel company tested the bags, gave feedback from its materials engineers, provided grant funding to the team, and will be the first retailer to sell Guppy Friend.
5. Groceries Move to Simplify Sell-by Labels: Together with Walmart, the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Food Marketing Institute have proposed simplified labeling instructions for food sell-by dates. The trio hopes that other food manufacturers and retailers will follow their lead and only label with “best if used by” and “use by” to signify perishable food and reduce consumer confusion. “Best if used by” is for foods that can still be consumed after the date, while “use by” designates those that are highly perishable. Currently, there are up to 10 different types of use-by or sell-by labels on the market. Additionally, the new labels are aimed at reducing food waste.
Originally published at www.thymefries.com on February 20, 2017.
