>> Laura: WE ARE BACK AND WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THINGS PEOPLE CAN DO AT HOME.

WE ARE GOING TO START KIND OFF AT THE FRONT END OF THE PROBLEM.

AMANDA, IN ALBUQUERQUE, RESTAURANTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ABOUT 1/3 OF THE CITY'S FOOD WASTE.

LIKE, WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE?

IS IT THAT PORTIONS ARE TOO BIG?

DOES EVERYBODY THROW AWAY LIKE THAT WILTED LETTUCE ON THE SIDE?

WHAT IS HAPPENING?

>> Rich: I THINK THAT THERE ARE TWO OR THREE POSSIBILITIES, RIGHT.

I THINK ON THE ONE HAND THERE IS THE ISSUE OF PROCUREMENT AND ORDERING ENOUGH.

SO IF I AM ORDERING THE SAME AMOUNT OF SALAD THIS WEEK AS I DID LAST WEEK, MAYBE I HAVE HALF AS MANY CUSTOMERS.

SO, THERE IS GOING TO BE A WASTE BUILT IN TO A LACK OF CUSTOMERS OR IF I AM TRYING TO PLAN, YOU KNOW, FOR A BIG EVENT AND WE ARE DOING A CATERING OR A SPECIAL EVENT AND THEN PERHAPS THE ATTENDANCE IS LOW OR THE ATTENDEES AREN'T LIKING THE FOOD, ON THE BACK END THAT IS ALL PROBABLY GOING TO GET TOSSED UNLESS RESTAURANTS ARE DOING SOME CONCERTED EFFORT FOR FOOD RESCUE.

AT THREE SISTERS WE DO QUITE A BIT OF CONTRIBUTING TO MUTUAL AID GROUPS.

SO, WHEN WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE LIKE A BATCH OF BURRITOS THAT HAS ONE DAY LEFT, WE CAN CALL AN OUTREACH GROUP AND THEY'LL COME AND HELP US DISTRIBUTE THE BURRITOS TO FOLKS WHO NEED THEM.

JUST AS AN EXAMPLE.

BUT I THINK IN TYPICAL RESTAURANTS IT IS AN ISSUE OF PROCUREMENT.

THERE IS AN ISSUE OF IT IS A LITTLE BIT TRICKY TO PLAN.

IT IS A MOVING TARGET, RIGHT, IN TERMS OF ORDERING FOOD.

BUT, I ALSO THINK THERE IS SOME WASTE THAT IS BUILT IN AGAIN TO THIS INDUSTRIAL FOOD SYSTEM THAT IS SHIPPING THINGS IN LARGE QUANTITIES BY THE TIME THE TRUCK ARRIVES AT THE RESTAURANTS, STUFF MIGHT ALREADY BE PARTIALLY DAMAGED OR IF THINGS ARE HIGHLY PERISHABLE, THERE MIGHT BE FOOD WASTE JUST BECAUSE A TRUCK IS COMING FROM CALIFORNIA OR ARIZONA OR FLORIDA, RIGHT, TO BRING US THESE PRODUCTS.

I THINK, AGAIN, LIKE THE MORE LOCALLY-BASED WE CAN SOURCE THINGS AND SUPPORT OUR LOCAL GROWERS THE LESS WASTE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE BECAUSE WE KEEP THAT SHELF LIFE LONGER AND ALSO MORE NUTRITIONALLY DENSE FOR LONGER.

AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK FOR LIKE ALL RESTAURANTS OR WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE INDUSTRY ON THE BACK END, BUT THOSE ARE A FEW OF MY BEST GUESSES.

>> Laura: THERE ARE SOME GREAT PROGRAMS OR EFFORTS AMONG RESTAURANTS.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE?

>> Rich: YEAH, I THINK THAT SOME OF WHAT WE ARE DOING, WHERE WE IDENTIFY PARTNERS WHERE WE CAN REDISTRIBUTE FOOD TO FOOD RESCUE, I THINK THOSE ARE SOME OF THE BEST EFFORTS WE CAN REALLY MAKE AS AN INDUSTRY.

I THINK THAT THERE IS SOME PLACES I HAVE SEEN IN OTHER CITIES WHERE THERE IS LIKE A FREE MEAL VOUCHER SYSTEM.

I PREPAY FOR A MEAL AND I PUT A TICKET ON A WINDOW AND THEN SOMEONE ELSE WHO NEED A MEAL CAN PURCHASE THOSE.

I THINK THAT IS AN INTERESTING STRATEGY.

I HAVEN'T SEEN IT EXERCISED A LOT IN ALBUQUERQUE BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF.

PROCURING MORE FROM LOCAL FARMERS I AM ALWAYS GOING TO TOUT THAT AS AN OPTION TO REDUCE FOOD WASTE AND CREATE LESS GREENHOUSE GASES ACTUALLY IN OUR ENVIRONMENT AS WELL.

SO, I THINK THOSE ARE SOME OF THE STRATEGIES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF.

>> Laura: FOR SURE.

I WANT TO GO BACK TO GROCERY STORES.

I AM A LITTLE BIT OBSESSED WITH THIS WHOLE, LIKE, PRODUCE IS SO EXPENSIVE RIGHT NOW.

I TOTALLY CANNOT REALLY BUY FRESH FRUIT AT THE GROCERY STORE.

LIKE, IT IS SO EXPENSIVE.

AND THEN WHEN I ASK WHAT HAPPENS TO THIS REALLY EXPENSIVE PRODUCE, I WAS TOLD THAT IT IS THROWN AWAY AND LIKE I CAN'T -- I CAN'T DEAL WITH THAT IN MY HEAD, THAT WASTE.

SO, I KNOW THAT GROCERY STORES DO DONATE A LOT OF FOOD BUT THAT PRODUCE OR KIND OF THE REALLY PERISHABLE STUFF, WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL THAT STUFF AND IS THERE A WAY FOR A CITY OR A MUNICIPALITY TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN SORT OF LIKE ISSUING CONSEQUENCES TO FOOD WASTE?

>> West: GREAT QUESTION AND I CAN UNDERSTAND IT IS REALLY FRUSTRATING WHEN HEARING AND THINKING ABOUT FOOD THAT IS WASTED.

IT REMINDS ME OF EPA'S WASTED FOOD SCALE.

THEY CHANGED FROM A HIGHER ID TO A WASTED FOOD SCALE, SIMILAR STEPS INVOLVED, IN THE FALL OF LAST YEAR.

AND IT GIVES A PRIORITIZATION OF GUIDANCE THAT GROCERY STORES CAN USE, CITIES CAN USE, STATE CAN USE, HOPEFULLY EVERYONE USES IN THE FOOD SYSTEM TO HELP REDUCE FOOD WASTE AND THAT STARTS IN THE FIELD.

THEY HAVE STEPS MORE FOR THE PREVENTING FOOD WASTE SIDE OF THINGS AND THAT IS RELEVANT TO GROCERY STORES THEY HAVE STEPS SUCH AS DONATING TO PLACES LIKE ROADRUNNER OR OTHER FOOD RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE AREA TO REDISTRIBUTE THOSE AND ESPECIALLY FOR THINGS THAT ARE VERY PERISHABLE DONATING TO PLACES THAT AREN'T GOING TO BE TRANSPORTING VERY FAR SO WHATEVER RESCUE ORGANIZATION IS IN THAT GROCERY STORE'S COMMUNITY IS GOING TO BE THE BEST CONNECTION FOR THEM.

THEN, IT COMES DOWN TO IF WE CAN'T FEED PEOPLE, THEN ANIMALS MIGHT BE AN OPTION AND THEN COMPOSTING SO IT CAN BE TURNED INTO SOIL AMENDMENT MATERIAL THAT CAN HELP GROW LOCAL FOOD WHICH IS ESPECIALLY HELPFUL FOR BUILDING HEALTHY SOILS IN OUR AREA AND OUR ENVIRONMENT AND SO IT KIND OF LAYS OUT THAT METHODOLOGY.

WE ARE EXCITED, WHEN WE DID TALK TO ROADRUNNER, I WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH UNM AND HAVE AN INTERN FROM THE SUSTAINABILITY STUDIES PROGRAM THAT WANTED TO LOOK AT FOOD WASTE AND SPECIFICALLY AT GROCERY STORES.

SO WE TALKED TO ROADRUNNER AND FOUND THAT THEY SAID THEY ARE DOING A GREAT JOB OF REALLY COLLECTING AS MUCH AS THEY CAN FROM BIG GROCERY STORES TO REDISTRIBUTE AND FEED PEOPLE.

SO THAT WAS REALLY EXCITING.

THEY SAID THE SMALLER GROCERY STORES ARE THE ONES THEY DON'T ALWAYS CAPTURE SO THEY DUG IN A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THOSE AND A LOT OF THE SMALLER GROCERY STORES, JUST LIKE THREE SISTERS, ARE ALREADY CONNECTED TO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS.

IT MIGHT BE SMALLER THAN ROADRUNNER BUT FOOD RESCUE GROUPS AND SOMETIMES THEY ALREADY HAVE DIVERSION TO COMPOSTING.

LITTLE GREEN BUCKET IS OFTEN THE PROVIDER THAT WAS SERVING THEM, SO IT WAS EXCITING TO HEAR THAT ASPECT OF IT.

BUT UNDERSTANDING HOW THINGS ARE WORKING IN OUR CITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT SO THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE IS EXCITED TO BE DOING THIS UNDERSTANDING SO WE ARE DOING PLANNING AROUND HOW WE CAN EXTEND COMPOSTING.

WE ARE UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE CAN DO WITH RESTAURANTS WITH OUR FOOD SCRAP PILOT PROJECT AND WORKING WITH THE NRDC TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE IS THE BIGGEST FOOD WASTE SECTORS?

WHAT ARE THEY?

AND STARTING TO EXPLORE WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO AROUND THAT SPACE.

SO, I THINK ASKING QUESTIONS PERSONALLY IS A GREAT WAY TO DO THINGS.

AND BECAUSE WE ALL -- THERE IS A LOT OF GROCERY STORES IN THE CITY AND A LOT OF THINGS WE CAN DO.

WE ALL, OURSELVES, HAVE THE CHANCE PERSONALLY TO REDUCE FOOD WASTE AND STARTING TO ASK THE QUESTIONS.

I PERSONALLY LIKE TO, WHEN I GO TO A GROCERY STORE, TO ASK WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND SEE IF THEY ARE CONNECTED.

SOMETIMES IT IS JUST -- SOMETIMES THEY HAVE A LOT OF STAFF TURNOVER, MAYBE A CONTACT CHANGED, MAYBE IT IS A MATTER OF RECONNECTING WITH A FOOD RESCUE ORGANIZATION OR ENCOURAGEMENT.

AND IN THE GROCERY STORY I LIKE TO BUY THE THINGS THAT MIGHT NOT BE AS PRETTY.

THE BLEMISHED ONES.

THERE IS A PROGRAM I THINK IN THE UK CALLED THE UGLIES.

SO, BUYING THE THINGS THAT MIGHT NOT BE SHAPED PERFECTLY, STILL TASTE EXCELLENT.

BY DOING THAT, I FEEL LIKE I AM ENCOURAGING HAVING THOSE ITEMS AND NOT CULLING THEM AHEAD OF TIME.

SO, ALL THOSE LITTLE STEPS REALLY ADD UP.

AND IT IS REALLY AN EXCITING TIME AT THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE TO GET THIS UNDERSTANDING OF THE GREAT WORK THAT IS HAPPENING HERE AND THE POTENTIAL FOR THE FUTURE.

>> Laura: I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO BE ASKING QUESTIONS AT YOUR GROCERY STORE.

WE MADE SOME CALLS FROM OUR PRODUCTION STAFF HERE AND FOUND OUT THAT SOME GROCERY STORES DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT.

SOME WANT AN EMAILED REQUEST THAT THEY DON'T RESPOND TO.

THOSE TENDED TO BE THE LARGER PLACES LIKE SMITH'S, ALBERTSONS AND TARGET AND WALMART, COSTCO, KIND OF THOSE BIG PRODUCERS.

WE DID FIND OUT THAT THE FRUIT BASKET WORKS WITH A LOCAL FARMER SO THAT WAS GOOD.

BUT I WOULD TOTALLY ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY IN OUR AUDIENCE TO BE ASKING ALL THE TIME.

SO, WE HAVE TOUCHED ON A LITTLE BIT OF THE INDUSTRIAL FOODS.

WE ARE GOING TALK MORE ABOUT THAT IN THE THIRD SEGMENT.

YOU WORK IN LOCAL FARMING.

I CANNOT IMAGINE THAT FARMING IS EASY AND FARMERS DO NOT BENEFIT IN ANY WAY, LOCAL FARMERS DO NOT BENEFIT IN ANY WAY FROM FOOD WASTE.

WHAT IS THE STORY ON THE GROUND THERE?

>> Becker: WITH PROJECT FEED THE HOOD AND I THINK WITH A LOT OF FARMERS LOCALLY AND ACROSS THE BOARD, SORT OF WHAT SANDRA TOUCHED ON, WE ARE TRYING TO CREATE LOOPS INSTEAD OF THESE LINEAR MODELS THAT ARE PRODUCING THIS WASTE.

AND SO WITH PROJECT FEED THE HOOD, A LARGE PORTION OF WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING IS TRY TO GO CREATE THIS SORT OF CLOSED SYSTEM WHERE ANY SORT OF SCRAPS, FOOD WASTE, WEEDS FROM FARMING, ALL GO BACK INTO AND GETTING COMPOSTED OR FEEDING LIVESTOCK, DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN PREVENT IT FROM JUST CREATING MORE EMISSIONS AND RETURNING TO THE EARTH, REALLY.

>> Rich: COMPOSTING IS ANOTHER WAY I REALLY FEEL LIKE RESTAURANTS COULD STEP UP THEIR GAME.

WE HAVE THIS INCREDIBLE SERVICE, LITTLE GREEN BUCKET.

WE HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL NETWORK WE ARE BUILDING RIGHT IN THE COMMUNITY TO HANDLE FOOD WASTE.

AND ONE THING I RECENTLY LEARNED, WE HAVE ALWAYS PUT FOOD SCRAPS IN THERE, BUT NOW AS AN ORGANIZATION WE ARE ALSO PUTTING LIKE PAPER TOWELS, BECAUSE THEY CAN BE EASILY COMPOSTED.

AND A FACILITY THAT HAS A LOT OF COOKING CLASSES AND FOLKS COMING INTO THE SPACE, WE GO THROUGH A LOT OF PAPER TOWELS AND THAT WAS A REAL AHA MOMENT FOR US, LIKE, OH, WE CAN ALSO PUT THESE IN THE COMPOSTING BUCKETS AND TURN THEM INTO SOIL WHICH IS JUST A REALLY CLEAR WAY THAT WE CAN CREATE LESS WASTE.

>> Laura: WE ARE ABOUT TO GO TO BREAK.

SO, JUST, REAL QUICKLY, DOES THE CITY HAVE A COLLECTION PROGRAM ON THE HORIZON AT ALL?

IS THIS SOMETHING ALBUQUERQUE COULD HAVE SOME DAY?

>> West: WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO BE WORKING WITH FUSE CORPS.

THEY PUT EXECUTIVE LEVEL FELLOWS INTO CITY GOVERNMENT TO WORK ON BIG PROBLEMS AND THE CHALLENGE THAT OUR FUSE FELLOW HAS, MATTHEW GRETTON, IS WORKING ON AN EQUITY-FOCUSED CITY-WIDE COMPOSTING PROGRAM.

OVER THE WINTER, HE DID LISTENING SESSIONS AND IS IN THE DRAFT STAGES AND WE ARE EXCITED THAT IN JUNE HE IS GOING TO BE DOING PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT PLAN.

THERE IS ACTUALLY ON THE WEBSITE ALREADY, I THINK, 10 IN-PERSON EVENTS LISTED AND PUBLIC COMMENTS SESSIONS.

SO WE ARE EXCITED FOR THAT NEXT STAGE.

IT IS A REALLY NEAT TIME FOR US.

>> Laura: ALL THE RESOURCES THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY WILL BE ON THE OUR LAND WEBSITE, NMPBS.ORG/OURLAND.

AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.