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Dana Gunders, Project Scientist, Food and Agriculture, San Francisco

Dana Gunders
I’ll never forget the first time I grew brussells sprouts. The plant grew and grew and I kept wondering where the sprouts would come from. Then one day I went out there and a huge horizontal stalk had grown out of nowhere. I thought to myself, everyone should know more about where their food comes from. Here at NRDC, I feel so privileged to spend my time investigating where our food comes from and goes, and what safeguards are in place to ensure a system that will nourish us in the best way possible. I’m delighted at this opportunity to share some of those explorations and musings with you.

Recent Posts

New Poll: How American's Feel about Wasting Food

Posted May 17, 2013 by Dana Gunders in Living Sustainably

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Sustainable America recently published a poll about American attitudes on food and fuel.  Overall, numbers from this poll showed higher sensitivity and better practices around food waste than any that I’ve seen before. One might write that off to polling...continued

The British Business Case for Avoiding Food Waste

Posted April 4, 2013 by Dana Gunders in Living Sustainably

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I recently returned from a week of traipsing around London to learn what those Brits are up to when it comes to addressing food waste. And let me tell you, they are up to a lot. What struck me most...continued

Trash Fish for Dinner. Should We Be Eating Bycatch?

Posted March 12, 2013 by Dana Gunders in Living Sustainably

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Nearly one fifth of fish caught in U.S. waters are discarded, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.  But who’s to say some of that fish isn’t quite tasty?  The Boston chapter of the Chef’s Collaborative held a Trash Fish...continued

California Food and Ag Board Takes On Food Waste

Posted March 7, 2013 by Dana Gunders in Health and the Environment

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Tuesday was an exhilarating day, as the leaders of California agriculture took on addressing the problem of how much food goes uneaten across the state. The California State Food and Agriculture Board advises the Secretary of Agriculture and the Governor...continued

UNEP and FAO Launch Think.Eat.Save., Global Campaign Against Food Waste

Posted January 22, 2013 by Dana Gunders in Living Sustainably

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Bon Appetit!  Buen Provecho!  Mahlzeit! And congratulations to the Think.Eat.Save, a global campaign launching TODAY to change the culture of food waste.  Grab a fork and dig in to the wealth of resources this campaign has to offer. I’m thrilled to...continued

Breaking the Grade Barrier: A Grocery Store Pioneers

Posted January 16, 2013 by Dana Gunders in Living Sustainably

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On the surface, it’s a common display. A bin of apples with a sale sign greets customers as they enter the grocery store.  Behind the scenes, however, it’s unchartered territory. Those apples are too small to be considered sufficient quality,...continued

Left Out: How much of the fresh produce that we grow never makes it off the farm?

Posted December 13, 2012 by Dana Gunders in Health and the Environment, Living Sustainably

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At a time when over 50 million people are food insecure and we face an obesity crisis, it’s a shame that 40% of food is never eaten. A closer look shows us that Americans are tossing 52% of the nation’s...continued

This Thanksgiving, Be More Grateful than Wasteful

Posted November 13, 2012 by Dana Gunders in Living Sustainably

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Amidst groans of being more stuffed than the bird itself, Americans will toss a whopping $282 million of uneaten turkey into the trash this Thanksgiving, contributing to the $165 billion in uneaten food Americans waste every year.  Along with trashing...continued

Portion-mania: problematic for waists and waste. But could McDonald's be on to something?

Posted October 11, 2012 by Dana Gunders in Living Sustainably

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McDonald’s has a pretty unsavory reputation when it comes to public health. Lately the company has taken some steps to improve their image, launching vegetarian restaurants in India and putting fresh apples into Happy Meals.  But there’s something at the...continued

Food Misers Make Money

Posted September 17, 2012 by Dana Gunders in Green Enterprise

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  Cutting losses helps maximize profits--an age old business philosophy not news to any businessperson.  So why is $47 billion worth of product going to waste in supermarkets alone?  And what are some of the opportunities for retailers and...continued

Dear Government: Food Waste is a Matter of Urgency. Please Take It Seriously.

Posted September 7, 2012 by Dana Gunders in Living Sustainably

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This past January, the European Parliament adopted a resolution to reduce food waste by 50 percent by 2020 and designated 2014 as the “European year against food waste.”  Members of the European Parliament have called improving the efficiency of our...continued

(Not) Eating Away at Our Resources: The Crisis Behind the Food in Our Garbage

Posted August 21, 2012 by Dana Gunders in Health and the Environment, Living Sustainably

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Imagine leaving the grocery store with three bags filled to the brim with your favorite foods.  As you walk through the parking lot, one slips out of your hand.  You look at it, shrug, and just keep walking.  Seems ridiculous,...continued

Leftovers are Catching On

Posted March 21, 2012 by Dana Gunders in Living Sustainably

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The Wall Street Journal published a great piece today about leftovers—how much we create, how much we toss, how much it costs us, and how we can do better.  They even have a little cooking demo instructing on tasty meals...continued

A Look at the $175 That Might Be in Your Compost

Posted January 11, 2012 by Dana Gunders in Living Sustainably

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Have you ever considered what that rotten food in your refrigerator costs?  The average American family of four throws out an estimated $130-175[1] per month in spoiled and discarded food.   That’s real money going straight into the garbage or compost...continued

Prune that Fruit Cake! Tips to reducing your food-print this holiday

Posted December 21, 2011 by Dana Gunders in Living Sustainably

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After sampling 13 different cookies at a cookie swap yesterday, I’m gearing up for sweet potato latkes tonight, a Christmas Eve Crabfest, and homemade-Kahlua White Russians to ring in the new year.  While my stomach is bursting out of both...continued

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Switchboard is the staff blog of the Natural Resources Defense Council, the nation’s most effective environmental group. For more about our work, including in-depth policy documents, action alerts and ways you can contribute, visit NRDC.org.

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