10 most creative ways people are battling food waste around the globe
In this article
- 1. Canada - From Potato Peels to Plastic
- 2. China - Feeding Food Waste to Cockroaches
- 3. France - Perfume from upcycled flowers, berries and fruits
- 4. Indonesia - Shoes from Chicken Feet Skin
- 5. Mexico - Cutlery from Avocado stones
- 6. The Netherlands - 3D Printing Snacks from Food Scraps
- 7. Singapore - Alcohol from Tofu byproduct
- 8. Spain - Clothes made from discarded pineapple plant leaves
- 9. United Kingdom - Beer from recycled toast
- 10. United States - All-purpose cleaner from food waste
- Conclusion
We are extremely proud to announce that Tenzo is partnering up with WRAP to collaborate on food waste reduction through their The Food Waste Reduction Roadmap initiative and helping countries battling food waste around the globe!
According to the FAO report, 1.3 billion tonnes of edible food is being thrown away annually, resulting in 3.3 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere. Luckily, organisations like WRAP not only encourage businesses to embrace sustainability, but help them implement sustainable practices within their day-to-day operations.
Since the early 2000s, WRAP has played an active role in supporting initiatives around greater resource efficiency. They have partnered with communities, businesses and governments to create practical solutions and campaigns to help reduce consumption, prevent waste and recycle more.
In celebration of this new partnership, we’ve put together the top 10 most creative ways people are battling food waste around the world.
1. Canada – From Potato Peels to Plastic
Frozen potato manufacturing company McCain was growing frustrated with how much waste was created by unused potato skins in their manufacturing process and had the idea of giving discarded potato peels a second life by developing them into bioplastic composites – Chip[s] board was founded to do just that and now boasts a range of extraordinary bioplastics that are not just biodegradable, durable and recyclable, but are also sleek and aesthetically pleasing in design.
2. China – Feeding Food Waste to Cockroaches
With the population steadily increasing, more waste is being produced than landfills can handle. That is why in the outskirts of Jinan, a plant run by Shandong Qiaobin Agricultural Technology Co. is feeding 50,000 tonnes of food waste to a billion cockroaches on a daily basis. Not only do the bugs get rid of unmanageable mountains of scraps, but once the bugs pass away, they become nutritious food for livestock. “It’s like turning trash into resources,” the Shandong Qiaobin chairwoman says.
3. France – Perfume from upcycled flowers, berries and fruits
French perfume house, Etat Libre d’Orange, released a revolutionary fragrance that aims to create awareness about waste in the luxury industry. The fruity-floral perfume titled I Am Trash – Les Fleurs du Déchet (The Flowers of Waste), was created entirely out of unwanted and found objects.
4. Indonesia – Shoes from Chicken Feet Skin
You read that right. As a way to create environmentally friendly fashion products, a 25-year old entrepreneur, Nurman Ramdhany, started making shoes from discarded chicken feet he found in market rubbish bins. Operating under the brand name of Hirka, the company strives to educate people on the quality of chicken feet leather while promoting environmental sustainability.
5. Mexico – Cutlery from Avocado stones
Mexico is responsible for 50% of the world’s avocado supply. With that in mind, Biofase, a startup from Michoacán, figured out how to put discarded stones to good use. By using avocado stones bought from companies that produce guacamole, Biofase extracts a unique compound that they use to mold into 100% biodegradable cutlery and straws.
6. The Netherlands – 3D Printing Snacks from Food Scraps
Elzelinde Van Doleweerd and Vita Broeken created a process that recycles food that would have otherwise been thrown out. In partnership with 3D Food Company, the pair founded Upprinting Food, whose purpose is to promote sustainability within the restaurant industry. The production process is actually far from complicated. After mashing fruits, vegetables and bread they add herbs and spices to create ink for the 3D printer. After printing, the food is baked and dehydrated to create a deliciously crunchy snack.
https://www.upprintingfood.com
7. Singapore – Alcohol from Tofu byproduct
Tofu whey – the liquid that is generated during tofu production is often discarded and adds to pollution and oxygen depletion in waterways because of the soluble sugars that it contains. Scientists have discovered that by adding sugar and yeast to the liquid, it turns it fruity and floral in taste, with up to an 8% alcohol content. On top of reducing waste, “Sachi” also comes with a number of health benefits, such as prevention of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and some types of cancer.
https://sinfootech.com/product-list
8. Spain – Clothes made from discarded pineapple plant leaves
Piñatex® leather was developed when Dr. Carmen Hijosa saw an opportunity in using pineapple harvest byproduct to build a sustainable and scalable product as an alternative to mass leather production and chemical tanning. Hijosa’s vision is to develop farming communities by allowing farmers to use greater quantities of their waste leaves.
9. United Kingdom – Beer from recycled toast
Dubbed as planet-saving beer, Toast Ale is brewed from fresh bread surplus that bakeries would have otherwise thrown out – all to prove that the alternative to food waste is delicious and pint-sized. Company profits go directly to Feedback charity organization that addresses food waste issues across all stages of our food system.
10. United States – All-purpose cleaner from food waste
Motivated by all the Food waste rotting in landfills, Veles decided to turn all those sugars and acids into something more useful. Veles not only wanted to give this food waste a second life, but also wanted to create awareness about the benefits of using biomass as a cleaning agent. Packaged in a recyclable and refillable aluminum bottle, Veles all-purpose cleaner was created from 97% food waste by using a simple acid fermentation process, with natural fragrances representing the remaining 3%.
Conclusion
Food waste is definitely something we can all reduce, whether that’s at home or in restaurants, and is that something that has a direct impact on the environment. If you are as motivated as us to start making a better choices for the planet, do check out WRAP and their other initiatives to educate yourself on how you can start making a better impact today:
If you’d like to find out how you can use Tenzo to reduce food waste within your establishment, make sure to check out our forecasting module here.
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