Waste Not: Breaking Down the Food Equation is a documentary by the award-winning filmmakers of MediaLab at Pacific Lutheran University (Washington, U.S.A.) on the dissection of issues of food waste around the world. According to a recent United Nations special report (2013), an estimated one-third of global food production is wasted each year, resulting in astronomical environmental, economic and human costs. The filmmakers are travelling across North America and just recently landed in Europe to document their findings from farm and production/processing site visits, and in-person industry, academic and NGO interviews. The original production is set to premiere Fall 2014.
On June 10th, Martina Marsic and Jessica Reeve, current TYFPC Members, as well as Heather Lee (past member) were interviewed on issues of food waste in Toronto. Each member contributed their specific experience, working with food issues, locally and globally. Martina spoke to her background in both the small-scale and corporate food industry and current work in social entrepreneurship and software development, where innovative solutions are leveraging technology to implement lean methods that cut food waste. Jessica contributed her research and findings on therapeutic and institutional horticulture, with a particular focus on prison farms in the U.S. and Canada, which serve(d) to rehabilitate prisoners and produce food in sustainable and efficient ways. Heather featured her consulting work with the Toronto Food Policy Council on food waste reduction and diversion for the city. Her research identifies opportunities for the City of Toronto to incorporate food waste as a priority in its Long Term Waste Management Strategy. Such findings are additionally relevant to other jurisdictions in Ontario.
More information on the documentary can be found at the project’s website.