One of the more recent (and I might add, increasing fascinating) tenants in my apartment-block brain, is composting. As I learn more about composting or the transformative process of food scraps to nutrient-rich soil, I can imagine this waste reduction process taking on an environmental "coolness" factor akin to bringing canvas bags to the grocery store to eliminate the paper or plastic bags you consume each shopping trip. Food waste is the second largest waste stream in the United States after paper, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. (Pretty interesting considering we are suffering from a national obesity epidemic.) Considering this disturbing fact, why is composting not more institutionalized as a common form of recycling? We have bins for plastic, paper, and glass--but where is the bin for my banana peel and stale bread? Farm-to-table dining is the foodie's buzz word of the year. But what about table-to-farm? How about a full-cycle food industry? A girl can dream. For now I'll add "American Wasteland: How America Throws Nearly Half of Its Food (and What We Can Do About It) to my reading list.
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