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The Brian Lehrer Show / May 20, 2008 / Clean Your Plate

Clean Your Plate

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

New York Times business reporter Andrew Martin talks about Americans and food waste.

"One Country’s Table Scraps, Another Country’s Meal" (NYT, 5/18/08)


Comments

  • [1] Robert from NYC May 20, 2008 - 10:56AM

    I certainly appreciate you not talking over that music, Brian. Thank you very much for that.
  • [2] Richard from Texas May 20, 2008 - 11:11AM

    One thing I never rely on is expiration dates. I realize that many items go bad after a certain time but I keep my refrigerator just above freezing and have never had any spoilage after an expiration date.


  • [3] kim from nyc May 20, 2008 - 11:11AM

    Freegans, people who search for tossed food, are abundant in NYC. Whole Foods and other expensive markets toss out so much and it is collected and made to use. Questionable but good idea.
  • [4] Laura from Brooklyn May 20, 2008 - 11:13AM

    Composting happens in NYC too.

    Actually, I got started a few years ago when I realized how much food I was throwing out...

    Now at least I keep it out of the waste stream and give it back to the earth locally -- no out-of-state trucking charges...

    Another great resource is the Master Composter class at Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
  • [5] Rory Bernstein from Brooklyn, NY May 20, 2008 - 11:14AM

    How about the waste of packaging to take your leftovers home? How many people take a reusable container with them when they go to a restaurant? Think of all those aluminum containers that go into the garbage after being taken home from a restaurant.
  • [6] paul from nyc May 20, 2008 - 11:15AM

    The A&P in Montclair NJ packages slightly past date fruit and vegetables and sells them at half price.


  • [7] Lonnie from Brooklyn May 20, 2008 - 11:16AM

    It's a bad social habit.

    I remember having to admonish guests that it took work and effort and money for me to set the table-- SO I warned them to not even DARE to throw away any of my food. If you don't it-- DON'T PUT IT ON YOUR PLATE!

    My guests were aghast. But they saw I meant it. They cleaned their plates off--particularly the women-- who tend to throw away more food then men. I tell them, if your concerned about losing weight-- then just have salad.
  • [8] Michal from brooklyn May 20, 2008 - 11:16AM

    I think the fault should be shared by people who don't finish their portions.

    Right: who's going to eat the food if the portions are so large, but why order those large portions if you're not going to eat them.
  • [9] MAry Fran from Inwood May 20, 2008 - 11:16AM

    My son works for an executive dining room. Untouched food is thrown out. The employees are not allowed to take it either. If a meeting is canceled all the food is thrown away. It's sickening.
  • [10] Nancy Duggan from Morristown, NJ May 20, 2008 - 11:17AM

    A friend who works at a local Whole Foods tells me that they are very frustrated with giving produce to charity groups. The problem is that the groups simply won't show up to pick up the food, which must be disposed of within a certain amount of time, or the company will be held liable if anyone is made ill by the food.

This thread is closed.


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