Solar grid parity describes the moment when electricity from solar power is less costly than electricity from the existing grid.  It’s a tipping point, when democratization of the electricity system not only makes political and economic sense, but becomes more competitive than using utility-delivered electricity.

And the first area of the United States to reach solar grid parity is… ??? San Diego, of course! Estimated to reach the tipping point by as early as 2013, wowza!

With 4,500 rooftop installations generating nearly 37 megawatts of electricity, San Diego’s solar panels produce more than $9 million worth of power annually. The report states that if San Diego were a nation unto itself, it would rank among the top 25 nations in the world in terms of solar capacity, with more solar power than Mexico.

Tip of the cap to my home and America’s Finest City!

“We cannot limit sustainability to food production, we need to also look at our food consumption,” Graziano da Silva said. “Waste less.”

And then there’s Food Rescue. Another group of individuals that do exactly what their name implies, and this one originated right out of my hometown! (Okay, so I’m technically from a suburb right outside of Indy, but you know how it is.)

I was really eager to see what their national coverage was like, as the Wikipedia entry for “food rescue” makes specific mention of this non-profit having expanded to multiple cities and states outside of the Indianapolis and Indiana area.

Unfortunately, loading up their website’s frequently asked questions page answered in the negative quite quickly. The only “Q” among the “FAQ”s was this:

Does Food Rescue operate in other states?
No. Food Rescue inspires people to support their local food banks and organizations that care for children and families in need by introducing them to how much food is being thrown away in their area. Those people then go on to serve the agencies they find.

To speak honestly, I felt pretty let down after reading this. It sounded like both a cop-out and a half-assed attempt to be up to great things. I certainly was not inspired.

Still, something did sit right with me. These people are up to great things! This seemingly demotivating message didn’t match up with Food Rescue’s mission and values whatsoever. So I kept perusing the website to figure out what was really going on. It didn’t take me long to uncover the culprit:

Food Rescue’s mission is to feed people and save over produced perishable food from being thrown away. After rescuing over 7 million dollars of retail food in 18 states during 30 months, our mission became more complex with a phone call in December 2010.

The Attorney General’s office in Massachusetts called Food Rescue to inquire about our efforts and determined we were doing business in their state even though Food Rescue did not pay any volunteers or receive financial assistance from anyone in Massachusetts. This determination triggered a $250 annual registration fee as well as a request to submit audited financials not required by the Federal Government. Upon investigating this matter, Food Rescue learned that 40 of our 50 states have registration fees for not-for-profit businesses. If the other 17 states we assisted had come to the same conclusion, it would have crippled our small organization in Indiana.

In Massachusetts, the $230,000 of annual retail food that was rescued and given to needy families is back in the trash can. …

Over $500,000 of retail value food went from the hands of the poor in 2010 back into the trash can in 2011.

I understand why things like this come up and I understand that there are laws and regulations that require following. I understand all that, but I don’t accept it as morally sound nor the way things have to be. Something like this both breaks my heart and invigorates me. Regarding the former, I would think the reasons being are obvious. As for the latter, things like this present themselves how you choose to see them, and I see it as another opportunity to smash the spoon-fed falsehood of status quo.

Before I get up too high on my soapbox, allow me to step down, take a deep breath, and show my gratitude and give thanks to the endless efforts and amazing results Food Rescue has achieved. What they and others do is exactly what I will have Fair Share be a part of, practiced without exception.

There’s a whole world of abundance out there to be had and I want to be a part of making it possible for all with whom I encounter. It might not always be easy, but it’s certainly simple!

Still fresh off my viewing of the documentary Dive! approximately twenty-four hours prior, I’ve been combing the web for related information in regards to making use of what is normally wasted when it comes to food.

I quickly came across a non-profit food rescue that immediately caught my attention for two reasons. One, it operates in the city of Boston, which I hold dear in my heart. As for the other eye-grabber, well, the non-profit’s name isn’t exactly far off from Fair Share!

Anyway, long story short, Fair Foods works to get perfectly edible and healthy food into the bellies of those who need it throughout the greater Boston area by means of what is referred to as “food rescue”. As explored in the film Dive!, retail is an enormous source of food waste in America.

Haven’t worked in a grocery store for five years growing up, worked in several restaurants throughout my twenties as both a server and manager, and spent time volunteering at food banks, I’ve certainly seen first-hand how absurd this wastefulness can be and how it is possible to opt to make good use of it instead.

It’s one of those things that’s simple, but just not seen as easy. Consider that it’s much easier to throw something into the dumpster than it is to set it aside for someone to come pick up it. Now consider how ridiculous that sounds! Yes, it takes more effort (it’s not the “easy” option), but on the retailer’s end how minuscule a difference it is to do it the “hard” way and be part of something so touching and compassionate rather than “just doing your job”!

It’s invigorating and heart-warming to come across organizations like Fair Foods, both personally and from a Fair Share perspective. The concept of minimizing food waste within Fair Share has been a big topic of development since day one. For one, the most obvious way to tackle this is to properly train prep/line cooks and manage product ordering effectively. Any businessman in the industry knows this one, as it’s one of the biggest cost controls you can put into practice in a food service establishment.

Still, as with every piece of the Fair Share puzzle, I want to take that a step or two or twenty further. As it comes to fruition, I will be working with some seasoned vets in the kitchen to design a simple, fresh, comfortable, and high-quality menu that is catered to streamlined ingredients, stays true to a mentality of “if it’s not meant to be eaten, it doesn’t go on the plate”, and demands that little to no product go to waste both pre- and post-prep.

But that’s just on the back-of-the-house side. I’d venture to guess the average non-restaurateurs could probably come up with that on his own. But what most don’t consider, too, is how much food is wasted by the guest. Whether it be due to over-sized portions (a very common plague in America) or a menu that simply doesn’t make sense logistically, it’s not uncommon for a busy restaurant to scrape off over a hundred pounds of “scraps” from guests’ plates into the garbage each night. While I’m still developing ideas on how to accomplish this tangibly, I intend to devise methods within Fair Share that not only allow the guest to order responsibly, but furthermore encourage them to do so in ways that will ultimately satisfy both their belly and value gauge, save me money in the food cost department, and of course, not waste perfectly good food.

“Server farms generate so much heat that they have to run air conditioning year round. That requires energy, which costs money and tends to mean burning more fossil fuels. Meanwhile, in winter, a lot of houses are cold. The people who live there have to turn on the heat, which costs money and tends to mean burning more fossil fuels.

“So here’s an idea: Why not distribute the hardware from a server farm, putting heat-producing equipment in houses that actually need the heat?”

Say whaaaaat?!? 

An absolute must-see documentary and truly inspiring piece for what possibilities we are all capable of creating. Jeremy Seifert, thank you for this, and I’ll come calling sooner than later.