Tag Archives: Food waste

Food, Waste

A third of North Americans throw out $3,000 of unused groceries every year.

Originally published on Talker

Editor’s note: While the topic is food waste, the following article may throw some light upon Recycle BC’s expectation that Cortes Island residents increase the volume of recyclables that go into curbside pick-up. There undoubtedly are some Cortesians who waste up to $63 of food a week (as is the case with our American neighbours cited in the following article), but there are probably also a significant number that waste little, if any, food.

3 months worth of garbage for two people – Photo by Roy L Hales

This is the amount of garbage one Cortes household of two produced in about 3 months. Do Cortesians, collectively, also throw out a significantly lower amount of recyclables than society as a whole? Does Recycle BC have unrealistic expectations of the volume of recyclables Cortes Island should produce?

The average American spends nearly $3,000 a year on unused groceries, according to new research.

Continue reading A third of North Americans throw out $3,000 of unused groceries every year. →
Food

Tiny B.C. island community’s answer to climate change? Feed everyone

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Quadra Islander Ramona Boyle is rummaging through cardboard boxes when her friend lets out a triumphant shout.

“Look at this!” exclaims dood, known by a single moniker similar to Madonna, plucking a package of thick-cut bacon from a box and waving it in the air.

“This normally costs at least 15 bucks.” 

Boyle peers into the box filled with various packages of frozen meat. 

“There must be hundreds of dollars worth of food in here!” she replies.

The pair, members of the Quadra Island Climate Action Team (I-CAN), are appraising their first haul for a new project to tackle climate change and food insecurity in their rural community. 

Continue reading Tiny B.C. island community’s answer to climate change? Feed everyone →