HUNGER & Waste! What to do?

I have a question for all of you who read our Blog.  Maybe you can help me understand what to do.  A diversion from advertising and marketing for a moment.

The other day in the Des Moines Register there was an article taking to task schools who do not participate in free lunch programs during the summer.  Yes, kids do get hungry in the summer as well.

But, do you know of the waste that goes on daily and nobody can or will do anything about it.

Our office is near a grocery store.  Each day staff from the store dump food.  We didn't think much of it...at first.  But, as time went on we would see more and more people coming by and picking through the garbage and taking what they want.

Then, I started visiting the dumpster myself.  I was amazed.  At least twice a month they will toss 40 - 60 loves of bread and donuts and cake.  Daily there are dozens of canned goods, trays of tomatoes, fresh meat, baked goods, fruit...enough to have daily garbage pick up.

I asked the store employees about giving the food to charity.  They told me they could not.  "It was past the expiration date."  I asked them to let me know when they were going to throw stuff away.  They said they could not.

Remember, this is ONE dumpster from one rather small store.  The waste must be enormous.

So, what do we do?  Are there really kids in local school districts going hungry?  I don't know.  But I do know we are a wasteful bunch of folks.  And it is sad.

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications where we keep busy wondering how we can make a difference...for lots of people.

Comments

[Georgie]

You did not mention that some of the item's 'experation date' was still two or three days away yet! How do they explain that!?!

[Michael Libbie]

Hi Georgie... They said they can't check EVERY item because there are so many things to be pitched. And, they get re-supplied on a regular basis and have limited space for storage. So, out goes the "old" to make way for the new. Thanks for reading!

[Art Dinkin]

I know it sounds wasteful, but if that food were given by the grocery store to a charity and someone got sick, the grocer could be liable for feeding them expired food. That would be one grateful thank you!

Maybe someone should start a new charitable service which hauls away the food from the grocery for less than the cost of waste... and then delivers the food to a food bank or some other good cause for them to determine the edibility?

[Michael Libbie]

Art: Thanks for the comment. Yes, in part that is what the store said. Too bad we live in a world that fosters this behavior with lawsuits. Good idea...and thanks for reading! MPL

[Braniff]

I'll pitch this idea into cyberspace--how about some of the restaurants inviting the participants of the free-lunch programs into their restaurants for the meals? Would that be too difficult for the restaurant personnel to handle in regards to preparing extra meals? Would there be other problems (such as nutrition guidelines)? My idea is admittedly a hair-brained one, but I'd be glad to know your thoughts.