Maddy Rotman, head of Sustainability at Imperfect Foods, a delivery service for sustainably sourced produce and packaged food that would otherwise end up in landfills as food waste, joins the conversation to find an end to one of the largest sources of easily avoided greenhouse gas emissions. More than a third of the food humans grow each year goes unused. Project Drawdown estimates that we could reduce CO2 emissions by 90 to 101 gigatons annually simply by cutting out 50% to 75% of food waste. She explains how the less attractive produce that grocers won’t sell can save shoppers money while reducing their diet’s carbon footprint.
Maddy explains how Imperfect Foods is tackling its own environmental impact. The company is building its own distribution system, using local vans and drivers who follow regular weekly routes to reduce the emissions associated with deliveries. By following planned routes, they can use less energy than on-demand shippers that deliver anywhere, every day. Imperfect Foods plans to have an entirely electric delivery fleet by 2027, and it will be staffed by full-time employees with benefits.
You can learn more about Imperfect Foods at imperfectfoods.com.
- Subscribe to Sustainability in Your Ear on iTunes and Apple Podcasts.
- Follow Sustainability in Your Ear on Spreaker, iHeartRadio, or YouTube
This podcast originally aired on June 1, 2022.