Panelists gave examples of what they bring to the table in ways of wasting less food. Three Loyola cafeterias rotate their menus to best utilize food resources in menu planning and procurement, and has found that using trayless service is key to reducing the amount of food students put on their plate. Zero Percent partners with local restaurants to put good food to use for non-profits. Collective Resource picks up food scraps from its customers and hauls them to a composting facility to make soil amendment.
The panelists included:
- Moderator: Hanh Pham, Sustainability Program Manager at Loyola University Chicago
- Reduce: Bill Langlois, Senior Food Service Director at Loyola University Chicago, Aramark
- Reuse: Sarina Gambino, Director of Partnerships, Zero Percent
- Recycle: Mary Beth Schaye, Zero Waste Consultant, Collective Resource
The film undoubtedly brought awareness of food discards that could have found a different fate if action were taken to rethink waste along the food chain.
Learn more about the film at foodwastemovie.com. Another viewing will be hosted in Oak Park on Sunday, March 8th at 3 pm at the Oak Park Public Library. INFO & TICKETS
What can you do about food waste?
By diverting food scraps in any form, big or small, you are contributing to the broader effort to curb this unnecessary practice. Do not be discouraged by thinking of how small actions may be, for this effort needs to include every aspect of the food chain. Like an ecosystem requires every actor to play its part, so must we all contribute to reducing and recovering food and its upstream resources in any way possible.
Food Waste Prevention and Recovery Resources