American Wasteland: Ch 9-12

In the last chapters of American Wasteland, Bloom focuses on the specific topics of food recovery, traylessness (I'll explain later), Great Britain, and his own hopes for the future of food waste in America.

Food recovery or rescue is the practice of collecting edible but un-sellable food and distributing it to those in need. The collection of food can occur almost anywhere in the food chain, from farms to restaurants and grocery stores. Though money is a limiting factor, Bloom enlightened me another huge setback. "One word makes food recovery much harder than it has to be: liability. If you prefer two words, they are litigious society." In other words, supermarkets and restaurants are hesitant to donate unwanted food because they are afraid of being sued if the food makes someone sick. Bloom points out that this fear is unnecessary because the Bill Emerson Food Donation Act protects ALL organizations from liability when they donate food in good faith.

Another interesting thing that I learned is the concept of traylessness. Apparently, some universities have eliminated trays from dining halls in an effort to reduce how food students can carry, thereby reducing food waste (and promoting healthier eating!). Removing trays from lunch room seems like a good idea to me, though I wouldn't advocate it in primary and secondary schools.

Did you know that there's a name for trash diggers? Yup, they're called freegans. Freegans scavenge for all their food in the dumpsters of restaurants and supermarkets. Bloom questions whether the freegans really are committed to the fight against food waste or if they are just cheapskates. However, I think that whatever their motives are, at least they are eating what would otherwise end up polluting our earth.

I was surprised that Bloom spent a whole chapter commending European countries such as Great Britain for their efforts in diverting food waste from landfills. British government agencies and private organizations have launched massive campaigns to educate the public and work towards their goal of zero landfill waste. Already, only 16.5% of Britain’s food waste is landfilled, compared to 97% in the United States! I share Bloom’s dream that America will soon adopt many of the same strategies used in Britain such as composting, implementing a landfill tax, creating energy with anaerobic digestion, and educating the public on expiration dates. The extreme would be to ban all food and biodegradable waste from landfills, as Norway did in 2009.

Lastly, Bloom advocates his practical ideas for alleviating problem of food waste in America. They address every specific detail, from creating a website for food producers and recovery organizations to communicate easily, to having inmates glean produce from farms rather than clean litter from the highway.  I wholeheartedly agree with Bloom when he argues, “We pay for the amount of water, gas, and electricity we use. Why not our garbage, which also taxes natural resources?”

After finishing this fascinating book, I only hope that more Americans will learn about this issue and food waste will soon become as socially unacceptable as littering.

Sincerely,
Tiffany