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Bakeries: Difference between revisions
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The bakery makes large amounts of everything in the morning, in hopes that a lot of customers show up. Anything that doesn't get sold by the end of the day, usually gets '''thrown away'''. | The bakery makes large amounts of everything in the morning, in hopes that a lot of customers show up. Anything that doesn't get sold by the end of the day, usually gets '''thrown away'''. | ||
On average, this is probably about '''half''' of all the food they make. {{p|Estimate based on:<br /><br />~ | On average, this is probably about '''half''' of all the food they make. {{p|Estimate based on:<br /><br />~ Extrapolation from general food waste statistics.<br /><br />~ Observations from dumpster divers.<br /><br />~ Unpredictability of customer demand, from one day to the next. {{x|Anyone who worked in a bakery can confirm that some days are really busy and some days are slow, and you can't always predict ahead of time.}} To compensate for this, as a "safety margin", bakeries probably bake about 2x as many goods as they sell.}} | ||
===The economics favor this wasteful practice because:=== | ===The economics favor this wasteful practice because:=== | ||
* Goods are sold for a much higher price than their raw ingredients. | * Goods are sold for a much higher price than their raw ingredients. | ||
** Sales make big revenue, but wasted goods make ''small'' losses - small in terms of money. For {{ | ** Sales make big revenue, but wasted goods make ''small'' losses - small in terms of money. For{{alt|the environment|humanity overall}}, food waste is [[food waste|major loss]]. | ||
*** The business would rather risk wasting food than selling out. | *** The business would rather risk wasting food than selling out. | ||
**** In some jurisdictions, there are even ''fines'' for businesses that sell out. | **** In some jurisdictions, there are even ''fines'' for businesses that sell out. | ||
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====Kind explanation==== | ====Kind explanation==== | ||
Some business owners do, but: | Some business owners do, but: | ||
* Some {{ | * Some{{alt|homeless shelters|food banks}}might reject the baked goods, because they already receive too many, and because baked goods are mostly empty calories. For some people in poverty, the harder struggle is finding good [[nutrition]]. | ||
* The sheer volume of all leftovers might be more than all the local poor & homeless people can eat. | * The sheer volume of all leftovers might be more than all the local poor & homeless people can eat. | ||
** Evidenced by: for example: 1% of the population is homeless but 50% of all food goes to waste. | ** Evidenced by: for example: 1% of the population is homeless but 50% of all food goes to waste. | ||
*** Note: Food waste is still a problem, even when there are very few people starving ''locally''. The global food supply is affected, making it harder for people around the world to afford food. | *** Note: Food waste is still a problem, even when there are very few people starving ''locally''. The global food supply is affected, making it harder for people around the world to afford [[food]]. | ||
====Rude explanation==== | ====Rude explanation==== | ||
Business owners might be: | Business owners might be: | ||
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===Solutions=== | ===Solutions=== | ||
{{minor|In this case, personal changes would probably have the biggest effect.}} | <!-- {{minor|In this case, personal changes would probably have the biggest effect.}} --> | ||
====Personal changes==== | ====Personal changes==== | ||
* As consumers, we should ask bakeries to sell their leftovers (discounted), and we should buy them as often as we buy fresh. | * As consumers, we should ask bakeries to sell their leftovers (discounted), and we should buy them as often as we buy fresh. | ||
* If you feel adventurous, get into [[dumpster diving]]. | * If you feel adventurous, get into [[dumpster diving]]. <sup>[But don't tell the bakery owners!]</sup> | ||
====Systemic changes==== | ====Systemic changes==== | ||
<div class="expandable-bullets"> | <div class="expandable-bullets"> | ||
* Abolish any laws that issue fines to businesses for selling out. | * Abolish any laws that issue fines to businesses for selling out. | ||
* Make businesses pay to have their trash removed. | * Make it illegal for businesses to waste food. | ||
** <small>This | * '''Project:''' Convert leftovers into meal-replacement bars for international [[food aid]]. {{npn}} | ||
** <small>For people / residential, trash removal could still remain free (publicly funded).</small> | * {{light|(''undecided'')}} | ||
** We'd need an additional policy/law to '''prevent''' businesses from '''locking their dumpsters'''. | ** Make businesses pay {{light|(by weight)}} to have their trash removed. | ||
*** Locking is often motivated by fear that everyone else will dump trash in the business's dumpster, which would cost the business money. | *** <small style="color:#777">This could discourage food waste {{x|well, to some extent, at least}} without making it outright illegal.</small> | ||
**** {{minor|I'm not sure how | *** <small style="color:#777">For people / residential, trash removal could still remain free (publicly funded).</small> | ||
*** | *** <small style="color:#777">This is already implemented in some jurisdictions.</small> | ||
*** '''Problem:''' We'd need an '''additional''' policy/law to '''prevent''' businesses from '''locking their dumpsters'''. | |||
**** Locking is often motivated by fear that everyone else will dump trash in the business's dumpster, which would cost the business money. | |||
***** {{minor|I'm not sure how justified this concern is for business owners. Residential & public areas have their own garbage bins anyway. The occasional dumping would probably be dwarfed by the business's own trash. But it's possible that many businesses would lock their dumpsters "just in case".}} | |||
**** Locking prevents anyone from recovering the leftover baked goods, making it harder to solve the food waste problem. | |||
</div> | </div> | ||