Rethinking portion sizes and inventory to cut food waste

Artificial intelligence is tackling food waste by analyzing what gets tossed in restaurants and unsold in supermarkets, aiming for a greener future.

Somini Sengupta reports for The New York Times.

In short:

AI tools are identifying surplus food issues, like oversized croissants and unsold onions, to reduce waste and save costs.
Technologies like Winnow and Afresh offer solutions by monitoring trash and sales data, respectively, helping businesses make smarter decisions.
Despite their potential, these AI solutions also confront challenges, including their environmental impact and the need for widespread action against food waste.

Key quote:

"It’s a problem that literally gets swept away."

— Marc Zornes, founder of Winnow

Why this matters:

Tackling food waste not only helps reduce unnecessary costs for businesses but also addresses significant environmental concerns, such as greenhouse gas emissions from decomposing food in landfills.

Be sure to read Brian Bienkowski’s 2019 piece: It is time to respect the planet’s boundaries—and overhaul how we eat and waste food—if we want to feed our rising population.

www.nytimes.com

Rethinking portion sizes and inventory to cut food waste

Colorado bill would require safety plans to protect workers from extreme temperatures

How the meat industry is quietly keeping its emissions off the climate agenda

A shrinking Colorado River is forcing farms to change

The war with Iran is already about energy

Spiking gas prices spark consumer interest in electric vehicles

Trump’s energy ‘tiger team’ struggles to find its roar with Iran

London, San Francisco and Beijing achieve ‘remarkable reductions’ in air pollution

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.