Currently occupied once again by the theme of FOOD for some writing that I am doing.
We waste one-third of the entire produce of the earth. A billion people go hungry. We continue to chop down forests to grow more despite our vast quantities. In poorer countries a lack of post-harvest technology and infrastructure such as refrigeration contributes to wastage. The shadow side of supermarkets, wastage is inextricably tied to the manufacturing of food.
Closer to home an estimated 20 to 40% of UK fruit and vegetables are rejected before they reach the shops - mostly because they do not match the supermarkets' strict cosmetic standards. In orchards around the country apples are left on trees because they don’t fit the bill.
But it's not just supermarkets, it's restaurants, shops and consumers - you and me - that are part of the picture.
This topsy-turvy food culture needn’t be this way. If we shift from the notion of ‘waste’ to one of ‘surplus’ then a whole slew of creative responses ensues.
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