Finn, Steven M.
Email Address
ORCID
Disciplines
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
Publication Last Food Mile Conference Survey Results(2014-12-10) Finn, Steven M.; Dou, ZhengxiaFollowing The Last Food Mile conference in early December, we surveyed well over 150 participants to assess their impressions of the event and to glean information to help us shape future work on food wastage across the U.S. supply chain. Approximately one third of those surveyed responded.Publication Assessing U.S. Food Wastage and Opportunities for Reduction(2016-03-01) Dou, Zhengxia; Ferguson, James D; Galligan, David T; Kelly, Alan M; Finn, Steven M; Giegengack, RobertReducing food wastage is one of the key strategies to combat hunger and sustainably feed the world. We present a comprehensive analysis of available data, despite uncertainties due to data limitation, indicating that the U.S. loses at least 150 million metric tonnes (MMT) of food between farm and fork annually, of which about 70 MMT is edible food loss. Currently, <2% of the edible food loss is recovered for human consumption. A reasonably-attainable goal of food waste reduction at the source by 20% would save more food than the annual increase in total food production and would feed millions of people. This is an opportunity of significant magnitude, offering food security and resource and environmental benefits with few negatives. Seizing this opportunity requires technological innovation, policy intervention, and public outreach. This U.S.-based analysis is pertinent to other mid- to high-income countries.Publication Panel III: Food Waste Reduction, Recovery, and Recycling - Overview(2014-12-09) Finn, Steven M.The Challenge and Opportunity in Food Waste The problem of global food waste was referred to as a “conundrum” in a recent NY Times article by Emma Bryce. It is indeed a conundrum, and much more. It is a complex problem at global, national, regional, and individual levels. In short, food waste is a massive challenge, with elements of a “social mess.” But it is also a colossal opportunity -- and one that cannot be missed. The world’s population currently exceeds 7.2 billion, of which nearly one billion are hungry and nearly two billion suffer from micronutrient deficiencies per FAO. Yet estimates of global food waste and losses along the supply chain range from 30% to 50% of all food produced for human consumption, with a corresponding waste of all associated resources (most notably water) and substantial environmental harm. By 2050, just 35 years from now, the global population will exceed 9 billion. This brings the ultimate (and urgent) challenge: successfully feeding that increased population while preserving the environment. Feeding 9 billion global citizens in a sustainable manner requires optimizing use of food resources and all associated inputs. In the developed world, this requires mindset change. We need to recognize excess food as a valuable resource – not as waste – and seek to optimize it. Such change starts with increased awareness and education, but it hinges on action. We must overcome the culture of abundance which leads to massive waste from farm to market to fork. Consumers and retailers must collaborate, changing attitudes toward “perfect” produce and 24x7 stocks of infinite variety. Retailers must alter operations to reduce “accepted” levels of food waste and efficiently repurpose excess. Legislators must enact change to demystify “sell-by” dates and incentivize alternatives for excess food beyond landfill. Producers and retailers must form innovative partnerships to redirect excess food to high value uses. Forward-thinking organizations that embrace this opportunity will achieve triple bottom line benefits in the form of an inspired workforce, improved community relations by reducing environmental benefit, and financial savings through reduced costs. In so doing, they will drive positive change through the food system. Such change is hard, but essential: A world of hunger, rising obesity due to poor nutrition, resource shortages and environmental damage is not sustainable -- nor is it a secure world.Publication Sustainable Food Recovery Programs: Making Connections To Redirect Excess Food To The Needy(2012-02-17) Finn, Steven M.Food waste is a significant problem of both social and environmental proportions. For myriad reasons, much of the food produced never makes it to market – but is sent to landfills – where it consumes limited landfill space and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions as it decays. There is much excess food (especially nutrient-rich produce) in the greater Philadelphia region to be captured for the needy, and there are motivated individuals to help in that effort. Food banks must strive to capture this food by creating strong relationships with growers and overcoming barriers to donations through effective planning, increased investment in logistical capability, a high service orientation to donors, and a local focus which harnesses motivated individuals and embraces collaborative partnerships. They must also consider creative approaches such as vertically integrated projects with agricultural schools to capture more produce. Success will spawn new programs. This paper details my effort to create relationships and pilot programs to capture fresh produce that would otherwise go to waste between January and September 2011.Publication A Public-Private Initiative to Reduce Food Waste: A Framework for Local Communities(2011-08-31) Finn, Steven M.The problem of global food waste is critical to resolve – from the standpoint of both alleviating hunger and improving the environment by reducing carbon emissions and landfill usage. Successfully reducing food waste requires involving many stakeholders – both public and private – and galvanizing them to overcome barriers through positive action. This paper draws on lessons in stakeholder management from an impressive sustainability project involving multiple stakeholders – the implementation of the Vélib’ bicycle program in Paris – and applies them to the issue of reducing food waste at the local community level. The framework is a “start‐small” approach on which to build.Publication The Last Food Mile: Conference Summary(2014-12-10) Finn, Steven MA 2014 report by the Economic Research Service of the USDA revealed that 31% - or 133 billion pounds – of the available food supply at the retail and consumer levels went uneaten by Americans in 2010. Such a vast amount of waste is particularly difficult to accept given that roughly one in six Americans experience food insecurity, and that inadequate nutrition is leading to a serious increase in obesity and diet-related illness. Further, food waste involves waste of all associated resource inputs, and it has serious negative impacts on the environment in terms of air and water pollution. Food loss and waste occurs for myriad reasons at all levels of the food supply chain in the US, from the grower to the manufacturer to the retailer and to the consumer (i.e. from field to fork). The Last Food Mile Conference was organized to bring multi-disciplinary thought leaders together in an intensive, two-day format to discuss the amount and causes of food wastage at each stage, the barriers to implementing change, the multiple opportunities in excess food, lessons from current efforts to reduce wastage and how to leverage them, and how to lead behavior change for long-term solutions.