Hasta La Ideas

“Here’s what I think of your cooking!”

Last year, I reviewed NatureMill’s Automatic Compost Bin for a “Living With…” review and I’m pleased to report it’s still going strong. What I really wish is that they’d make (and effectively market) restaurant-sized versions. Walking my dogs at night, I pass restaurant after restaurant stacking huge bags of food trash out on the curb. All of that has to be hauled away, which requires big trucks filled with gasoline; but what I’ve learned from composting is that most food waste is water that just evaporates, which cuts down on its weight drastically. If restaurants broke down their food waste on site, at least in major cities like New York, I estimate the fuel savings would be enormous.

Now there’s a product that uses similar sourcing for entirely different results: Further Products makes a line of soap, lotion and candles made from vegetable oil extracted from restaurant food waste. And not just any restaurant: Further has gone after L.A.’s high-end eateries and landed Mario Batali’s chowhouse as a partner. This is a great example of a brilliant green concept paired with a shrewd marketing plan—one that I hope inspires others.

via the dieline

(more…)