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069: For Dumpster Diving Skeptics

069: For Dumpster Diving Skeptics

Did you know? The average household wastes $2200 per year on food that ultimately gets discarded. Here are unique strategies for households to waste less food + save more money.


Freshly baked artisanal breads, still warm from the oven. Imported cheeses in original packaging. Untouched organic berries.

Did you know? You can find all this + more in your local dumpster.

Cameron Macleish first learned about the food waste epidemic as a broke college student. These days, he dumpster dives and – with his mom’s help – cooks delectable meals with his finds to push back against both food waste + food insecurity.

While Cameron neither wants nor expects us to dumpster dive for sustenance, he does want to educate us on the food waste epidemic. He comes armed to our conversation with his best tips for the average family to waste less, too.

Enjoy!

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3 thoughts on “069: For Dumpster Diving Skeptics

  1. You touched on the composting idea here, but I’m still wondering about things like meat scraps/fat and bones. I’ve been told they don’t belong in the compost but where else should they go. And another question, how about waxpaper??
    Thanks for your lovely podcasts, I’ve been enjoying them!

    1. Hi Joyce, You’re correct – meat scraps, bones, cheese, milk + other dairy products are generally not composted (the exception is egg shells: compost the heck out of egg shells!). That said, composting meat is possible; you can find out more about doing so here. Please know, however, that flies, odors and unwanted animals are often byproducts of meat composting. If doing so sounds like more than you’re willing to tackle, the only options are to continue to throw your meat and dairy scraps in the trash and/or eat more plants (and less meat).

      Almost all wax paper sold in traditional grocery stores have paraffin-based wax (aka a petroleum byproduct) and therefore shouldn’t go in the compost bin. Can you swap out wax paper for parchment paper (you can compost it!)? Or, even better, silicone baking mats which are a one-time purchase but are not disposable?

      Hope this helps 🙂
      Stephanie

      1. Thanks for the tips! I’ll have to have a look around to find parchment paper here in Holland, but I do know that we have those silicone mats. I like to use wax paper in my round baking tins, I guess it should work to cut a silicone mat to size.

        As for the meat story, I guess we’ll just have to stay aiming at low waste instead of no waste. We’re not ready to go vegan yet!
        Thanks again!!

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Denim jeans were once the preferred trouser for cowboys in the American west; some decades later, they became a symbol of rebellion for non-conformist teens. These days jeans are all about comfort and casual style, and the average American woman owns 7 pairs. And yet blue jeans also happen to have one of fashion's biggest environmental footprints. On today's show Sarene Alsharif reveals the harsh realities associated with jeans production; she also shares practical strategies for transforming this wardrobe staple into a sustainable solution.   Here's a preview: [7:00]  Stone-washed with actual stones? Dyed with carcinogenic dyes? Uncovering your favorite pair's dirty little enviro-secrets  [13:00] Want some stretch? Revisiting our desire for synthetic fibers in our denim  [23:00] The trend cycle = smoke and mirrors [27:00] It's a marriage not a fling (and other tried-and-true sustainable fashion tips) [31:00] Stephanie's nihilist thoughts: What happens when collective action matters, and yet the collective isn't doing its part?   Resources mentioned: How To Save The World With A Pair Of Jeans (via YouTube) Tad More Tailoring Atomic Habits (by James Clear) The Comfort Crisis Embrace Discomfort To Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self (February's Book Club pick!)   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! **If you're a financial supporter over on Apple Podcasts and want to join Book Club, please email me and let me know! For privacy reasons, Apple won't share your contact info with me. Just email me and I'll happily add you!** Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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