On May 12th, I had the opportunity to attend the International Labor Rights Gala. At the Gala, there were various food stations that served tasty pastas, sliced meats, fruits and vegan bites.
Although this was a seated event, attendees served themselves, buffet-style, with disposable plates and utensils. Excitedly, I grabbed my plastic utensils and loaded my small paper plate with vegan bites and then returned to my table. After I finished eating, but before I had the opportunity to take my plate back to grab more food, a server from the catering company grabbed my plate and tossed it in the trash. The server was so quick, I did not get an opportunity to tell her that I planned to reuse my plate. I thought nothing of it, so I grabbed another plate and utensils and got more food from the stations. Once I finished that plate, another server swooped in and trashed my plate again. Given that I wanted a bit more to eat, I was disappointed that I was about to use my third plate and set of utensils. With my third plate still half full, I decided to turn and socialize with some of the other attendees around me. As soon as I turned away, another server threw away the plate I was still eating from!
When my third plate disappeared, it finally clicked that this wasn't a matter of three individual overzealous servers, but part of a bigger culture of waste at catered events. I was disappointed that three sets of plates and utensils went into the landfill, but as an organizer, my mind immediately jumped ahead to how reducing waste could improve the lives of workers. Discarded plates, food, and silverware cost money. Is it possible for that money to instead to flow into the workers' pockets in the form of increased wages or benefits? I reached out my friend Josephine, who runs an amazing women-owned co-operative catering company called Zenful Bites. Josephine explained to me,
There is absolutely a lot of food waste in the food catering sector. A catering business wants to make sure there is enough to serve everyone, and they have to prepare and order way more than is necessary. Food Catering businesses should partner more with nonprofits to reduce their food waste, through the nonprofits they can donate their leftover food, and possibly get a tax deduction.
Josephine suggests businesses visit the website Means Database to find organizations that accept food donations. To get a better idea of how much food, on average, the food sector wastes, check out this online food waste calculator from ReyclingWorks Massachusetts.
Solutions
Some cities, are quickly jumping into action. In 2013, London, launched a program called, "Business Food Waste Solutions", to help food businesses reduce food waste and lower costs. The program is expected to save a food business on average £350,000 ($395, 886) per year!
With the saved money, food businesses could put more money in the pockets of their employees or increase the benefits they offer.
The time is now for labor advocates, environmentalists and food businesses to come together and get their own cities to launch programs that are similar to London's. Coalitions should demand a guarantee that any money a food company saves from utilizing the program gets reinvested into the workforce.
To learn more about how to reduce waste, this website has 10 Waste-Busting Tips for restaurants and caterers.