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Hooking the Outputs to the Inputs
May. 29th, 2018 10:39 pmIt's easy to find out about all kinds of new things to acquire and use. It's considerably harder to figure out how to get them fixed when they break down. And it's really shocking how time consuming it can be to do the research to figure out how to dispose of things responsibly when one is done with them. The resulting cognitive load send people with average housekeeping skills down the path to hoarding. Sure, sentimental attachment or generalized anxiety that one might need the thing that one is being pressed to get rid of drive most hoarding (and a variety of cognitive deficits often in the form of dementia explain some of the most extreme cases). But not being quite sure what the right way to move something along to the next place surely accounts for some of the build up of Stuff that we don't use any more.
And then there are all the things abandoned: abandoned by renters who move, hotel guests who can't take the contents of the fridge on the plane with them, meals uneaten at banquets.
My sister told me about Imperfect Produce and similar operations: food that is fine, but rejected by grocers for looking a little weird -- wrong size, wrong shape, minor blemishes. Given away for free, and then sold on a subscription / delivery basis, this is an example of hooking an output (rejected by the grocer) to an input (someone needs fresh produce). I thought, what a pity that the overflowing contents of households in need of serious decluttering couldn't be put to work helping others. Without the stressed owner(s) of the overflowing household having to deal with that Learn a Whole New Job / Hobby called Getting Rid Of Shit Responsibly.
If you live in the Bay Area (isn't that where all new services are created Nowadays?),
https://www.remoovit.com/how
Locally, an operation called "Food for Free", a "food rescue" non-profit, works with all kinds of places: cafeterias in schools and colleges have leftover food, it is collected, repackaged as single serve meals and delivered a la Meals on Wheels.
http://blogs.babson.edu/news/2017/12/15/babson-participates-in-local-food-rescue-program-to-donate-thousands-of-meals/
As is often the case, scale really helps with costs, but since several schools worked together, they became a viable place to send a truck to pick up the food -- once the truck is there, it can pick up from additional sites close by.
They also note that by paying more attention, people who create leftovers often start finding ways to make fewer leftovers (as simple as reducing your intentional overage, in some cases, if it is a catered event, for example).
Want to help out? There's an app for that!
https://foodrescue.us/
You can list food (as a restaurant, grocer, etc.), volunteer to pick up and deliver, or sign up as a receiving agency and list your needs.
This may or may not become link fu in the future; if so, expect many edits.
And then there are all the things abandoned: abandoned by renters who move, hotel guests who can't take the contents of the fridge on the plane with them, meals uneaten at banquets.
My sister told me about Imperfect Produce and similar operations: food that is fine, but rejected by grocers for looking a little weird -- wrong size, wrong shape, minor blemishes. Given away for free, and then sold on a subscription / delivery basis, this is an example of hooking an output (rejected by the grocer) to an input (someone needs fresh produce). I thought, what a pity that the overflowing contents of households in need of serious decluttering couldn't be put to work helping others. Without the stressed owner(s) of the overflowing household having to deal with that Learn a Whole New Job / Hobby called Getting Rid Of Shit Responsibly.
If you live in the Bay Area (isn't that where all new services are created Nowadays?),
https://www.remoovit.com/how
Locally, an operation called "Food for Free", a "food rescue" non-profit, works with all kinds of places: cafeterias in schools and colleges have leftover food, it is collected, repackaged as single serve meals and delivered a la Meals on Wheels.
http://blogs.babson.edu/news/2017/12/15/babson-participates-in-local-food-rescue-program-to-donate-thousands-of-meals/
As is often the case, scale really helps with costs, but since several schools worked together, they became a viable place to send a truck to pick up the food -- once the truck is there, it can pick up from additional sites close by.
They also note that by paying more attention, people who create leftovers often start finding ways to make fewer leftovers (as simple as reducing your intentional overage, in some cases, if it is a catered event, for example).
Want to help out? There's an app for that!
https://foodrescue.us/
You can list food (as a restaurant, grocer, etc.), volunteer to pick up and deliver, or sign up as a receiving agency and list your needs.
This may or may not become link fu in the future; if so, expect many edits.