A retired teacher prioritizes reducing waste and feeding the hungry. Innovator Dennis Karas, retired teacher and professional gleaner.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT & CONVERSATION
- Dennis Karas has a passion to help lessen food scarcity for people through gleaning and sharing the resources. Please share your thoughts about Dennis’ story.
- Do you know of similar stories in your community?
- How might you turn your passion to help others into reality as Dennis has done?
ACTIONS
- “In the United States, 31 percent—or 133 billion pounds—of the 430 billion pounds of the available food supply at the retail and consumer levels in 2010 went uneaten. The estimated value of this food loss was $161.6 billion using retail prices.”
- Educate yourself about food waste in America. This Beginners Guide from Material Impact Inc. defines food waste as an environmental, social, and financial problem. This is a great beginning to understanding food waste. It includes an introduction to the subject, info on food waste legislation, current awareness campaigns, and lists tool-kits and other resources available.
- Most people don’t realize how much food they throw away every day — from uneaten leftovers to spoiled produce. About 95 percent of the food we throw away ends up in landfills or combustion facilities. In 2013, we disposed more than 35 million tons of food waste. Once in landfills, food breaks down to produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas which contributes to climate change. Reducing Food Waste at Home
- This is an 84-page document from the Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic – a resource for those who want to encourage state and local governments to take action against food waste. The state guide to incentives and protections for food donations might be especially useful.
- Invite friends, colleagues or community members to view this video with you and host a conversation.
ABOUT DENNIS
Dennis Karas is a retired teacher, professional gleaner and a resident at Columbia Eco-Village in Portland, OR.