Waste Not, Want Not (4)
If you’re in doubt, I recommend doing a smell test. Some grocery chains actually encourage customers to do that. If it doesn’t pass, it’s time to move on to the next item. I think consumers need to learn to trust their senses more.
In addition to the massive food waste problem, more than 100 billion single-use plastic bags are thrown away each year. A growing number of states and cities are banning single-use plastic bags, as well as plastic plates and cutlery, for environmental reasons. Plastic packaging is one of the greatest contributors to plastic waste pollution.
Say, Kyohei, I read in the paper that a Japanese startup has developed technology that can turn food waste into biodegradable and high-quality cement. And it’s even edible. Sounds fantastic-but it seems to be the real deal. The company makes cement out of things like coffee grounds, orange rinds, pumpkin waste, banana peels and seaweed. Dried food waste is first turned into powder, which is then heat-pressed into a mold. This technology could help curb global warming if it replaces a significant portion of cement production, which is one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
But is this cement really edible?
Yes. The company is looking into creating makeshift beds for use in emergency shelters. These beds made of food cement can be consumed as a last resort.
Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.
