BUGATTI MADE PEACE WITH THE EARTH!
Community service and recycling are closely related in the food service industry and often go hand in hand. In the food service industry, donating excess food is a form of recycling that complements the industry’s sustainability efforts. You can simultaneously engage in community service and recycling to contribute positively to society and the environment. Food service establishments have a unique opportunity to serve the community through recycling.
Recycling is collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as trash and turning them into new products. Recycling can benefit our community, economy, and the environment. Recycling our materials creates a healthier planet for ourselves and future generations.
Recycling plays an essential role in the creation and support of jobs. It positively impacts the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, saving energy, and protecting our natural resources. A 2021 study shows that the recycling industry continues to power America’s manufacturing base, directly creating jobs through recycling businesses, indirectly supporting the job market through suppliers, generating tax revenue, and providing valuable feedstock for new products. The industry’s whopping $110 billion economic impact puts recycling on par with the radio and television broadcasting, building services, and warehousing and storage industries. (stats from 2021 Economic Impact Study, U.S.- Based Recycling Industry.)
Restaurant industry is no stranger to recycling. From recycling glass to donating access food – restaurants play a considerable role in our communities by either finding solutions – or contributing to the problem. In today’s world, recycling has become an integral part of our operations – a problem solver to waste disposal. Food waste is a growing global problem. With billions of tons of food wasted each year, it’s clear that something must be done to address this issue at all levels. Fortunately, the rise of food donation and waste recovery initiatives has allowed people to tackle this crisis and impact their communities. Restaurants, hospitality venues, and other food service establishments can donate surplus food to charity or repurpose the food in various ways. For example, they could use leftover ingredients to create new dishes for their menu. They can donate excess food to local soup kitchens, shelters, and food banks.
Up to half a pound of food is wasted per meal at many restaurants, including leftovers on customers’ plates and waste in the kitchen itself. (Source: The Startling Reality of Food Waste in Restaurants, from Move for Hunger). With more than 42 million food-insecure people in our country, this food waste is a significant problem. The initial step towards decreasing the quantity of food that goes to waste is changing the behavior of the general public, chefs, and restaurant workers. This can be achieved by discovering more effective and efficient ways of utilizing food in the kitchen, redirecting the food to food banks, or composting the food that would have otherwise been wasted. Portion size matters. A restaurant’s dilemma is providing the customer with a satiating meal while not contributing to food waste. Over the years, restaurant portions have become bigger and bigger, and reducing portion size can take time and effort. A portion reduction can leave a customer disappointed and feeling “cheated.” The easiest solution is to return the power to the customer – by choosing larger or smaller portions. One way to handle portion sizes in marketing is by using customer-friendly language such as “regular” for smaller portions and “large” for bigger plates.
Strict safety standards and data-driven inventory management systems that track product expiration dates are necessary to reduce food waste in the restaurant industry. With the growth of composting services, restaurants can invest in systems that turn organic waste into energy or soil
amendments.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in the United States, food is the single largest category of material placed in municipal landfills. When we waste food, we also waste the resources used to produce, process, and distribute it. This includes water, land, and energy, as well as contributing to greenhouse gas emissions at every stage. Municipal solid waste landfills are the third-largest source of human-related methane emissions in the United States, accounting for approximately 14.1 percent of these emissions in 2017. Reducing food waste is a crucial solution to slowing climate change and limiting global losses in biodiversity. In 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released From Farm to Kitchen “The Environmental Impacts of U.S. Food Waste” to inform domestic policymakers, researchers, and the public about the environmental footprint of food loss and waste in the U.S. and the ecological benefits that can be achieved by reducing U.S. food loss and waste. Yet,Texas is one of those states that doesn’t enact a state-wide food waste ban. However, the food service businesses that require a food permit in Austin now must adopt a Zero-Waste Policy. This means all food waste and scraps must be either composted, donated, sold, diverted to a materials recovery facility, or otherwise recycled. Solutions for waste issues will continue to develop, and eventually, Texas is likely to enforce the food waste ban in the future. It is easier for the restaurant industry to take the initiative and start the shift towards zero waste on their own. It has become evident that many restaurants recycle and address food waste independently – reaching out and working directly with local community food banks and various nonprofit organizations.
Thousands of people struggle to put food on the table, and many have lost income and housing due to the Pandemic. Food banks, shelters, and nonprofit organizations are all in dire need of food. Restaurants and suppliers have an opportunity and a moral obligation to donate what they will not use. We can help reduce hunger rates and create a more equitable distribution of food resources by adding a scheduled inventory to donate excess food. This practice will support numerous local organizations needing fresh meals and pantry foods. Every community has a list of established food rescue organizations. These organizations collect unused food from stores and restaurants that would otherwise end up in landfills and then redistribute it to those in need. Redistribution networks (through social media and apps) are another way to reduce food waste and ensure that those in need have access to healthy food. Through these networks, businesses can donate their leftover or surplus food that would otherwise be thrown away, and they are matched with local nonprofits or charities that will use the donations to feed people in need.
The Business Case for Reducing Food Loss and Waste found that most businesses achieve positive returns from reducing food loss and waste. Restaurants may receive financial incentives, such as tax breaks, for donating unsold, wholesome food to minimize waste. Most people don’t realize how often they waste food and the negative impacts it can have on food security, the environment, and climate change. Another way the restaurant industry has a significant effect on local communities – is environmental.
The circular economy has been gaining attention in the food waste and waste recovery industries as it enables businesses to reduce their environmental impact by reusing materials. This approach emphasizes producing goods that can be reused or recycled after use, reducing the energy and resources required for production. Intelligent waste management is implemented to ensure maximum product utilization and zero waste. Additionally, sustainable packaging has become popular as companies strive to lessen their reliance on single-use plastics and other non-biodegradable materials.
For restaurants, in addition to reducing food waste, there are two additional opportunities for recycling – reusing cooking oil and recycling cardboard boxes.
Many companies specialize in recycling used cooking oil and grease into fuel. It is a fast-growing industry with substantial economic potential, with a projected growth of over USD 10 billion by 2028. And it is a perfect example of recycling in its true meaning: converting waste into clean energy. Many companies can pick up, load, and transport used cooking oils into recycling facilities. They will not only cover the cost of the process but will buy used oil. The reason is biofuel. From tax breaks to growing profits, recycling is a big part of our economic growth.
Even though no mandatory regulation would require each business to recycle cardboard boxes, those changes will soon come. Companies can now sell cardboard directly to a paper mill. Used boxes are given a second life. It is up to six lives! Over the past years, the value of recycled cardboard materials has increased by 180%.
Regarding recycling, there is an undeniable trend: recycling is shifting from being an act of choice to becoming a necessity. And when something is in demand, it generates profit. The fact that we can turn recycling into a business will create stricter rules for companies and help grow the economy while preserving our planet.
The Recycling Economic Information (REI) Report aims to increase the understanding of the economic implications of material reuse and recycling. Recycling is critical to the U.S. economy – contributing to jobs, wages, and government tax revenue. This is an investment in local communities from every standpoint – environmental, economic, and social. Every aspect of recycling in the restaurant industry directly impacts our communities. We can consciously invest in our communities by responsibly recycling, donating access to food, and working toward carbon neutrality.
