Tree of Life or Death?

While I was thinking about food packaging, I somehow arrived on the idea of "human packaging". It might seem a little weird or unrelated but I was thinking about funerals and us humans being all packaged in an exquisite coffin to be preserved for a long time. I couldn't help thinking about the idea of us being recycled.... I mean all our lives we have been wasting and throwing away so much. Maybe the least we can do for the environment after death is to return the nutrients stored in us back to nature?

 There is a thing for green burial where people are buried in non-toxic and biodegradable coffins and their bodies recycled back into nature but it does not seem to be very popular yet. Green burial also involves minimal environmental impact that aids in the conservation of natural resources, reduction of carbon emissions, and the restoration and/or preservation of wild habitat.

I googled the options, and stumbled upon this new, and rather extreme Italian method of green burial where the dead person eventually grows into a tree. The project is still in its early stages and is currently on display at an art gallery in Lille, but the novelty of the idea really caught my attention. -The person is literally buried inside a decomposable egg shell, called a Capsula Mundi. The capsule eventually grows into a tree. One can even choose the kind of tree he wants to become! The idea is to turn cemeteries into sacred forests.


Courtesy of Capsula Mundi.

Real-life exhibit of an actual Capsula Mundi




Artist impression of the project from official Facebook page


 Pretty interesting but I'd doubt the popularity. After all, saving the environment is more of a social issue than it is scientific, isnt it? People need to accept the idea and be willing to change their habits

The want to preserve the remnants of loved ones as a form of respect are still very prevalent in many cultures around the world. It might be difficult for them to accept this idea. Furthermore, there is the superstitious side of Asia about the spirits inhabiting trees and all. However in the US, other methods of green burials are gaining immense popularity. It would be interesting to see the idea of green burials catch on here. Although I honestly doubt its feasible in certain land-scarce countries like Singapore, due to lack of land-space and religious beliefs.


References:

Capsula Mundi. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2015, from http://www.capsulamundi.it/bosco_eng.html

Jinman, R. (2015, October 3). Green burials: Plans for new biodegradable human seed pods to replace traditional coffins. Retrieved October 5, 2015.

KFC's edible cups

Picture :KFC


Not any ordinary cup (Instagram: jess13simpson)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/11434220/KFC-to-offer-edible-coffee-cups.html

I came across this piece through some late night browsing and it sure is stirring up my apetite. KFC in the UK has rolled out this new creation of coffee in a cup made of biscuits and white chocolate for insulation. An edible biscuit cup filled with coffee, wrapped in sugar paper. Seemingly all the guilty pleasures in a mouthful, I would really love trying one.

Apart from stirring an apetite in me, this article also allowed me to admire how environmetally friendly this new product is. The ironic thing is that it is coming from a fastfood chain. And fastfood chains are infamous for the amount of waste they create; from the sheet of paper that lines the trays that nobody reads, to all the disposable packagings and utensils.

In my opinion, this creation of edible coffee cup would be a larger hit amongst consumers than the little Wikiballs. For one, KFC's coffee cup is actually something people actually familiar with and seems less intimidating than eating a little ball of icecream with a hard sugar covering.
Furthermore, it saves consumers the hassle of looking for a bin to dispose a usual cup. This would be most beneficial to the working population who are always in a rush but need a quick caffine fix on the go.

The best thing is that this product produces zero packaging waste! Take the amount of saved packaging materials multiplied by the projected amount of sales, this ingenious coffe cup could possibly cut back its carbon foot print by a significant amount. Assuming one literally finishes the entire cup, there would be zero food waste as well!

I am hoping that KFC might actually bring this creation to Singapore one day!

Blame Game.

Hello there! Thank you again for reading this blog! I hope it has given you some new insights! :) Today, I will be discussing where the root cause of the problem of food waste is at, and some possible approaches the people and governments can take. Do read on!

Like all problems, the question is who is to be blamed? I came across this journal article by Göbel et al. (2015) that suggested that looked at the supply side of food waste instead of the consumption side. The journal suggested that the reason for excessive food waste could be spread through the entire food supply chain, and may not be  Göbel based the conclusions off research on Germany's ( a developed nation's) food supply chain which can be modeled to many other developed nations.

Given the increase in world population as well as rising affluence, people are demanding more food and a greater variety of them. This then puts pressure on suppliers for more sustainable farming. As was previously mentioned, food wastage is also a waste of natural resources such as land, energy or water. It also contributes to unnecessary CO2 emissions. The effects of anthropogenic induced environmental impact and climate change threaten the livelihood of future generations.

__ identified a number of reasons for the wastage of food, below are some of them.

1) Process- and Market-Induced Standards Quality Requirements

It was concluded that marketing/retailer product quality standards as well as product specifications were the main causes of food waste. I mean as a consumer myself I understand the attraction towards optically attractive products, this is especially true for fresh produce like fruits and vegetables. One's minds automatically correlate good-looking fresh products to higher nutritional value and better taste. Unfortunately, that is not true. Because consumers prize cosmetic value when choosing fresh produce, retailers carry out strict quality control. They pick and market those visually appealing ones and throw out the those that are not. Even when there is nothing else that is wrong with the vegetable. This results in so much waste. 

Interestingly, when supply is sufficient even products with minor defects are rejected (with reference to standards) whereas in situations of reduced supply, products which would normally not be acceptable are accepted. This shows that the standards of quality are set largely by the demands and preferences of consumers and not actual nutritional values. This shows the huge loophole which results in so much food wastage. On top of that, there are already strict regulations on the quality of food products especially on processed food and meat. Many times, products are discarded because of health risks resulting from low quality or nutritional value.

Solution? Göbel also suggested that direct marketing may help ease the problem. This is because it involves fewer middle-men between grower and consumer, and so there are fewer quality checks, fewer restrictions on quality and less transport which might damage food.

2)  Market Convention

The determination of best-by dates. These properties do not necessarily say anything about the microbiological shelf life of a product, and products must not be disposed of at the end of the bestby dates. Often, the best-by date is often interpreted as an indicator of freshness, when in actual fact, the dates are often determined more by marketing than by product requirements. Thus customers tend to choose products with the longest best-by dates to obtain the freshest products, leaving those with earlier best-by dates on the shelves until they eventually expire. These expired food may sometimes be donated to the underprivileged, but not always. They may then be disposed of.

3) Availability of Food.

Due to strong price competition in saturated markets. There is price dumping between dealers, leading to low food prices. This is the reason why people in industrialized countries can afford to waste food It might be concluded that loss of food can be compensated quickly and inexpensively. A key reason for the loss along the entire food chain is the high expectation of constant availability of a broad range of fresh products. People do not appreciate or value the food items as much, thus are more willing to waste food.

4) Technology

Especially in the case of processed food and diary products, sometimes the machine malfunctions and the entire batch of food has to be thrown out. Resulting in humongous wastage.

Göbel also proposes a few solutions to these problems. Namely, to enhance processing and transportation, as well as food management. She also noted that regulations for structures and rules regarding best-by dates and labels should be standardised to avoid complications. It would also help if people were taught to appreciate food more.

References: 

Göbel, C., Langen, N., Blumenthal, A., Teitscheid, P., & Ritter, G. (2015). Cutting Food Waste through Cooperation along the Food Supply Chain.Sustainability, 7(2), 1429-1445. http://dx.doi.org.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/10.3390/su7021429

Edible Wrappers?!!

As the semester progresses, I'm starting to feel the toll of university life. From Hall commitments to catching up on school work, I find it increasingly difficult to wake up in time for lessons every morning. (Especially 8am lessons). Of course, this results in a mad rush to get ready and run down to the canteen to get myself some nosh before breakfast ends. Inevitably, I'll be asking for takeaway which comes in a disposable styrofoam box.

In Singapore, where everybody seems to always be in a rush, takeaway styrofoam or plastic boxes are something most of us cannot live without. The worse thing is that these styrofoam and plastics will not be accepted by recycling companies according to NEA's guidelines because they have been contaminated by food & liquid waste. Which is really such a waste due to the amounts of these materials we use for food packaging.

Why not create more biodegradable packaging? Or even edible wrappers which is actually already a thing. I did a quick google search and stumbled upon this article which stated that a Harvard Professor, David Edwards developed an type of edible food packaging known as WikiCells in 2012. It is a container that mimics the natural covering of fruits and vegetables. Food, both solid and liquid can be contained by it. The Wikicell even has customized flavoring to match the food that it packages. Thus far, it has been used to contain icecream, yogurt, soft drinks etc. Actually, the WikiCell has two layers of shells. The inner (soft) shell is completely edible whereas the outer shall may or may not be edible, depending on the kind of WikiCell and how it reaches the consumer. A completely edible outer shell would allow consumers like us  to just wash and eat it like an apple. On the other hand, the non-edible but completely biodegradable outer shell can be peeled off like the skin of an apple.

(Image courtesy of http://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/sci/edible-food-packaging-cut-plastic-waste.html)

I find the idea really amazing and ingenious, as this eliminates the need for a secondary (usually plastic) wrapper, Which not only is a waste of plastic but has the potential to cause even more damage to the environment if not disposed of properly. As quoted by Professor Edwards himself, " It's as shippable as a standard package"

WikiCell Yogurt. Image courtesy of WikiCells

However, while I feel that the WikiCells have the potential to be a viable alternative to plastic food packaging, I think that consumers might be apprehensive towards actually eating the WikiCells, Thus, its might take some time for it to catch on in the market. It is psychologically difficult to accept as we have been so obsessed about cleanliness and so used to removing wrapping and washing our food before eating it. This applies especially to those WikiCells with completely edible outer shells. Futhermore, they might not have enough knowledge of WikiCells to accept the idea,

I don't think the average consumer would feel safe just washing the WikiCell before eating, knowing that it has been shipped as it is without additional plastic packaging.

If this would be the case, plastic packaging would still be needed in order to ensure successful sales of the WikiCell and thus defeats the actual purpose of inventing the WikiCell in the first place.

Seeing as how it has been 3 years since the invention of WikiCell, and it hasn't really caught on, to consumers it must not have seemed like a viable alternative to the standard plastic packaging.

All in all, I believe the success of this edible packaging invention really depends on us, the consumers.

References:

National Environment Agency of Singapore (NEA) Vox. "Recycling" 2013

Spector, Dina. "Harvard Professor Tells Us The Full Implications Of Edible Food Packaging." Business Insider. August 30, 2012

Neccessary Evil Packagings

When I think of food wastage, another problem immediately comes to mind. And that is the food packaging. Research by Hawkins (2013) has shown that food packaging is a significant source of  solid waste. In my opinion, it is almost impossible to talk about food and waste without confronting the problem of packaging. Especially in this age where people are becoming increasingly concerned with hygiene and visual appearance of their food. I mean, think about eating an a pear. One would have to tear open the plastic bag or cardboard box that the pear comes in and remove the styrofoam net protecting the fruit before consumption of the food. So much waste is generated from packagings.




Not to mention Singaporean's favourite thing to do - takeaway food or "da pao" it. Often, takeaway containers are made of stryofoam or plastic which do not degrade easily and pollute the environment. Even when plastics degrade, there is the problem of microplastics in the soil leaking into the marine environments and disrupting the entire ecosystem. (Cole et al. 2013)

While packagings are unarguably used to extend the biological life of food, to manage scarcity or to facilitate exchange, until the early nineteenth century they were not used on a commercial scale. Throughout the nineteenth century, developments in canning and bottling developed rapidly in the major industrial nations of Europe, especially in response to the demands of population growth, urbanization and the expansion of navies and sea travel. In modern days, as urbanization and industrialization are becoming more prevalent, food production and distribution grew more complex. More people moving to cities needed more food which meant more transportation of food from rural regions that grew the food.


Hawkins (2013) also mentioned that packaging is generally hailed as one of the key developments affording protection against harmful bacteria, light, oxygen and contamination. Ironically(or not) it is also celebrated as an innovation that has significantl yreduced food waste by extending the biological life of food and delivering the edible components without all the excess elements.  Unfortunately,  the afterlife of the actual package has often been overlooked. This blindness to the waste impacts of packaging has been looked into more in the recent years with the rise of research into sustainable design, biomaterials and degradation cycle management..

On the hand, I feel that packaging has somewhat been abused as people become more affulent. Take hampers for example. 

Image from https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi23rESI2Wcs8Tt-SIc1O-kx67uHLn_crSGuoXiRkBVSgVx42YMyDsgTqL9TZvv9sh4DNGIyv7yjX-rBWONisL6jUtkfo8QU2EL_ijFcPwtcb9IUTLb7eN8CM0cUvYOVTNVOGfxD42uSEg/s1600/IMG_2471.JPG

I mean just look at the amount of plastics and printed cardboard used to decorate this thing. Not to mention cardboard backings and scotch tape to stack the food products up. Some may argue that this sort of exagerated gifts are unneccesary. However in the corporate world, such well packaged gifts are customary and even essential. For it not only shows manners but is a sign and display of appreciation. I mean, a sparsely wrapped bundle of expensive food items, without any decoration would hardly be considered appropriate in formal gift exchanges. Moreoever, it is often the intricate packaging that makes a quality product, a quality product.

Take Japan for example, they have the culture that values the aesthetic appeal of gifts. Take a look at the video on how Japanese gifts are usually wrapped!

I guess packaging can be considered a neccesary evil. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't put in effort to minimise the impacts of packaging waste on the environment! Do your part! In the easiest ways, avoid takeouts as much as possible or use a reusable plastic container. Minimise the use of plastic bags as well, or recycle them if you must! :)




References:

Hawkins, G. (2013). The performativity of food packaging: Market devices, waste crisis and recycling. The Sociological Review Sociol Rev,60(Supplement S2), 66-83. doi:10.1111/1467-954X.12038

Cole, M., Lindeque, P., Fileman, E., Halsband, C., Goodhead, R., Moger, J., & Galloway, T. (2013). Microplastic Ingestion by Zooplankton.Environmental Science & Technology Environ. Sci. Technol., 47(12), 6646–6655-6646–6655. doi:10.1021/es400663f.

Who would waste meat?

Did you know that throwing away meat is more harmful to the environment than wasting vegetables?

I mean really, who doesn't love meat? I know I sure do. However, there are time where people over order or cook dishes in the heat of the moment & end up not being able to finish them. Moreover, in the Asian culture, especially in black or white tie events, hosts would rather prepare extra food than have insufficient food. I understand, this is sometimes inevitable but there are ways to prevent this.

It is linked to the fact that meat is generally more expensive than vegetables. This is simply because more resources are required to raise an animal than to plant a crop. These resources include the water and fertilisers used to grow feed for the animals, land used to rear them, energy spent to process the meat and transport the meat. Energy used to operate coolers to preserve the meat etc. etc.

That's not to say that its okay to leave vegetable on your plate. The production of crops in argiculture also uses large amounts of resources. In fact in the US, water of agricultural use makes up about 80% of the Nation's consumptive water use according to the United States Department of Agriculture and Economic Research Service.

Research by Costello et al. (2015) also showed that the majority of greenhouse gas emissions occur in the production stages prior to the farm products' leaving the farm. The greenhouse gas emission estimates were measured from cradle (land preparation or animal birth) to farm gate (when the grain or animal was sent to a processing facility). Thus they are urging consumers to take special note when ordering or preparing meat. And to pay more attention to the type of food wasted, on top of the quantity wasted.

So the next time you decide you eat just half of your steak to save that extra few calories, know that it is more than just a waste of your own money!

Here's a tantalising picture of my dinner to whet your appetite! Remember, don't waste that meat! Or any kind of food for that matter.

References:

Costello, C., Birisci, E., & Mcgarvey, R. (2015). Food waste in campus dining operations: Inventory of pre- and post-consumer mass by food category, and estimation of embodied greenhouse gas emissions.Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems Renew. Agric. Food Syst., (1), 1-11. doi:10.1017/S1742170515000071

Insight

Thankfully, more people are recognising food wastage as a serious problem. Much effort is put into minimising food wastage nowadays.

The source of food wastage stems from many components in the food supply chain and not just one alone. Thus a combination of policies should be in place so as to counter the problem most effectively. Here is a little summary of the stakeholders and food supply chain involved in the problem of food wastage in Singapore.


Image taken from: the Food Bank Singapore Ltd.


Apart from the National Environment Agency, some non-goverenment organisations that are working to address the issue of food waste include the Food Bank Singapore Ltd, Singapore Environment Council and Food from the Heart. Business organisations like Singapore Hotel Association are also making constant efforts to solve the problem.

From a global outlook, the issue of food waste is also gaining prevalance. So much so that France's parliament has recently passed a law obliging supermarkets to give unsold food to charities or put it to other uses, such as animal feed, rather than disposing it.( National Catholic Reporter, 2015).
The law also binds large supermarkets to sign formal contracts with charities by July 2016, or face an $82,700 fine or two years in jail. As part of wider official efforts to halve the country's food waste by 2025, the law also includes educational programs on food waste for schools and businesses. 

In Singapore, there are no legally binding laws. However many supermarket giants like FairPrice Pte Ltd has their own programmes and campaigns to help combat the problem of food waste.



References:

National Catholic Reporter. 51.17 (June 5, 2015): p4.