food waste

Oranges sit in crates at the Rancho Del Sol Organics farm in San Diego County, Calif., in 2014. A labor dispute at major West Coast ports has left millions of pounds of California oranges stranded in warehouses and on half-loaded boats.

Heaps Of Oranges Could Rot As West Coast Dock Dispute Drags On

2:23pm February 19, 2015

by Alastair Bland

Millions of pounds of citrus fruit are stranded and at risk of spoiling in warehouses and boats at major ports in California. It's the result of a dockworker labor dispute that's jammed operations.

Steve Kudlacek is an undergraduate at the University of California, Irvine who helped Professor Greg Weiss develop a way to unboil an egg.

Science

How Unboiled Eggs Could Help Fight Food Waste

11:05am February 05, 2015

by Alison Bruzek

No yolk: Researchers have discovered how to unboil egg whites. The chemical technique could help the food industry and others utilize more enzymes for cheese or beer with less waste.

Recology CleanScapes driver Rodney Watkins issues a red tag — the scarlet letter of food waste in Seattle.

Tossing Out Food In The Trash? In Seattle, You'll Be Fined For That

1:15pm January 29, 2015

by Amy Radil

Seattle is the first city in the nation to fine people for not properly sorting their garbage. The law took effect on Jan. 1 as a bid to keep food out of landfills and encourage composting instead.

Pistachios, a possible energy source for a Turkish city.

Turkey Looks For Energy In An Abundant Resource: Pistachio Shells

1:13pm November 20, 2014

by Laura Secorun Palet

Converting the shells into biogas could provide most of the heat for a planned city of 200,000, engineers say. There's precedent in Australia, where macadamia nut shells are generating power.

The rendering industry likes to call itself the world's oldest recycling system. Nearly 100 percent of processed pigs will eventually get used — as meat and in uses as varied as medicine and pet food.

Everything But The Squeal: How The Hog Industry Cuts Food Waste

10:34am November 18, 2014

by Peggy Lowe

Large-scale hog operations get a bad environmental rap. But when it comes to processing the animals, the industry is a model of efficiency, making use of every last bit in sometimes surprising ways.

Sherri Erkel and her daughter, Asa, cook dinner in their kitchen in Iowa City, Iowa. The Erkel family is part of an EPA study measuring the amount of food wasted in U.S. homes.

To End Food Waste, Change Needs To Begin At Home

3:24pm November 17, 2014

by Grant Gerlock

The U.S. throws out 35 million tons of food each year. While many restaurants, supermarkets and processors are taking responsibility, many consumers aren't. An EPA pilot program aims to change that.

Queue Listen Now

Massachusetts composting companies like City Soil, which turn food waste into compost that can be used on gardens and farms, say they expect to get quite a bit of new business from the food waste ban.

National

Massachusetts Food Waste Ban Gains Broad Acceptance

4:03pm November 05, 2014

by Susan Kaplan

Massachusetts law now says that if you throw out more than a ton of food waste a month, it can't go to a landfill. But many institutions had already begun composting waste or turning it into energy.

Queue Listen Now

Apples were beginning to ripen Aug. 26 on trees at Carter Hill Orchard in Concord, N.H.

Science

Startup's New Sprays Promise Longer-Lasting Fruit, Fewer Pesticides

8:08am October 17, 2014

by Nathan Siegel

Apeel Sciences hopes its products, which use natural methods to fend off pests and oxidization, can markedly reduce the amount of produce wasted because of spoilage.

Gloria Restrepo, a teacher's assistant at Harris Bilingual Elementary School in Fort Collins, Colo., helps students choose their lunch.

To Stop Picky Eaters From Tossing The Broccoli, Give Them Choices

5:11pm September 25, 2014

by Luke Runyon

When healthier school lunch standards went into effect, many worried kids would toss their mandated veggies. But researchers say letting kids pick what they put on their tray can cut down on waste.

Bounty from the bin: Thaler says you can find plenty of tasty, edible produce that's tossed out. Plastic-wrapped produce tends to be a safe bet, he says.

Your Guide To Dining From The Dump

10:35am September 25, 2014

by Alison Bruzek

Maximus Thaler really puts his money (or, at least, his morals) where his mouth is when it comes to food waste. He's a dumpster diver. And he's happy to share tips for foraging from trash bins safely.