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The Zero-Waste Revolution: A New Wave of Eco-Consious Living
By Carolanne Wright | Contributing Writer for Wake Up World
1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted worldwide each year. It’s time to change our habits.
Zero-waste is the latest trend among eco-friendly and sustainable-living circles — and it’s taking the world by storm. From legislation in France forbidding supermarkets from throwing away unsold food to completely waste-free stores, as well as a restaurant owner who installed a fridge laden with uneaten food on the street to feed the needy, concerned individuals are taking a hard look at our oftentimes excessive and wasteful habits, and finding creative and innovative ways to close the loop.
“Tree of Goodness” in Southern India
Minu Pauline owns Pappadavada restaurant in Kochi, southern India. The 28-year-old proprietor was upset that her establishment was throwing away food each day when many within the community were going hungry. Then inspiration struck after watching a woman digging through the restaurant’s rubbish bags for food late one night…
“Just imagine being in the situation where you should be asleep but you feel too hungry and you have to go out to find food,” she told the Independent. “It was very sad.” The experience was an eye-opener for Pauline. She realized just how much we waste food in society — including her own business. In response, she decided to place a refrigerator in front of her restaurant.
Once the fridge was in place, she encouraged customers to place whatever food they didn’t finish within. It’s left unlocked and unsupervised 24 hours a day, and the food is available to anyone for free. Christened nanma maram — meaning ‘tree of goodness’ — the refrigerator feeds dozens of people each day.
Critics felt that attracting the homeless to the front of her restaurant would repel paying customers. Instead, just the opposite happened and business is booming. “I have so many smiling customers,” said Ms Pauline. “I can feel the positivity in my shop.”
Better yet, the idea seems to be catching on. Recently, two kids were outside the fridge. “After they left, I went to see what they had been doing and in the fridge was some pomegranates and candy that they had donated,” she said. “I’m so happy to see the message being spread to the next generation.”
Meanwhile, a half a world away, a Berlin supermarket has developed it’s own version of reducing waste — by eliminating food packaging all together.
Philosophers stone – selected views from the boat http://philosophers-stone.co.uk
Source: http://www.phoenixisrisen.co.uk/?p=9890
