Relearning the Value of Food

It seems “dumpster diving” is no longer considered the social pariah it once was. In fact, it now appears to be the in thing to do among the “environmentally aware”. “Food sharing” is where people, angered by the amount of edible food thrown out by grocery stores on a daily basis, use the Internet to connect with others to share perfectly edible food they’ve recovered from supermarket dumpsters. Germany takes the lead in “dumpster diving food sharing”. Some there have even taken it to the next level, refusing to spend money on groceries, instead opting to feed their families with only food rescued from the trash. If that makes your lip curl, and your insides quiver, you’re not alone. While that is an extreme example, it does make one sit up and take notice of the serious issue of food waste around the globe. When the amount of food we throw away in this country on a daily basis would feed a third world country, it’s high time we wise up and manage our food use and food waste better. But, since most Americans live in urban settings now, as opposed to rural areas, and don’t or can’t relate to the toil behind the food, we certainly have our work cut out for us in relearning the value of our food and the people who grow it.