What can we do to cut back on how much is wasted in our society?

[Cupcake Fiend]

Not just in food service, but I'd love to see more conservation in general.  The packaging on things is really ridiculous.  What drives me especially nuts lately are games.  DH and I love games and own several, we buy new ones several times a year for ourselves and as gifts. 

Someone please, please tell me why a game that consists of a folded board and a few tokens needs a box 3 times larger than what it contains?  There is so much excess packaging thrown in, it's really a disaster.  We have bought several games from a company called cheap bacon-fed knave games that has a solution.  They sell their games in envelopes or small boxes, and if you need tokens, cards, dice etc. you pirate it from your other games.  Most of the games are under $10, and they are creative and fun.

I can usually make 3 meals out of one order from a restaurant, too.

[Venus193]

This morning's burger came with onion rings (instead of fries).  I didn't eat a thing for the rest of the day until half an hour ago.  This isn't a good way to eat, so I have to be careful.

[Brentwood]

Not just in food service, but I'd love to see more conservation in general.  The packaging on things is really ridiculous.  What drives me especially nuts lately are games.  DH and I love games and own several, we buy new ones several times a year for ourselves and as gifts. 

Someone please, please tell me why a game that consists of a folded board and a few tokens needs a box 3 times larger than what it contains?  There is so much excess packaging thrown in, it's really a disaster.  We have bought several games from a company called cheap bacon-fed knave games that has a solution.  They sell their games in envelopes or small boxes, and if you need tokens, cards, dice etc. you pirate it from your other games.  Most of the games are under $10, and they are creative and fun.

I can usually make 3 meals out of one order from a restaurant, too.

Yes! Packaging these days is nothing short of insane.

[Emmy]

The problem with getting so much food in a restaurant is that you can't always take it home.  For example if you are staying in a hotel without a fridge, you can't save the food after a dinner out.

I agree with Mischief, there is a lot of waste in general that drives me crazy.  One thing is people who simply throw things away when the can be recycled.  People also throw away something simply because they don't want it anymore when the item is something that could be used and enjoyed by somebody else.  I'm not talking about junk, but many people are lazy and would rather just throw useful stuff in the trash than have a yard sale or give it to charity.  In college, my bf at the time was told by his step-mom to take out the trash.  In the trash bag there were several novels all in good condition and nothing else.  I told him to put the bag in my car, sorted through the novels, and gave the ones I didn't want to charity.  I actually like when I hear about people who drive up and take old furniture from curbside because somebody is getting use out it.

[Brentwood]

The problem with getting so much food in a restaurant is that you can't always take it home.  For example if you are staying in a hotel without a fridge, you can't save the food after a dinner out.

I agree with Mischief, there is a lot of waste in general that drives me crazy.  One thing is people who simply throw things away when the can be recycled.  People also throw away something simply because they don't want it anymore when the item is something that could be used and enjoyed by somebody else.  I'm not talking about junk, but many people are lazy and would rather just throw useful stuff in the trash than have a yard sale or give it to charity.  In college, my bf at the time was told by his step-mom to take out the trash.  In the trash bag there were several novels all in good condition and nothing else.  I told him to put the bag in my car, sorted through the novels, and gave the ones I didn't want to charity.  I actually like when I hear about people who drive up and take old furniture from curbside because somebody is getting use out it.

She threw away BOOKS? That ought to be illegal.

[IndianInlaw]

When I lived in Cedar Rapids, we had what I called Big Garbage Day, when you could put out ANYTHING and the city would cart it off.  It was sort of like a festival with people driving around looking for anything good.   I put out a set of pots and pans and while I wasn't home, a lady drove up and asked my neighbor if she could take them.  How polite is that?

Unfortunately people took advantage of this (one house does not ordinarily toss out 14 microwaves), so they had to set limits.

It was fun while it lasted.

[FolkRockFan]

If you really want to find good stuff, look around college campuses right before summer breaks begin. Some of the kids will toss out perfectly good couches...because said kids are moving back home for the summer and can't be bothered to do anything but throw away a ton of nice furniture.

[Clara Bow]

Two words: "Swap Meet". This is a great way to get rid of the stuff you don't want that's too good to throw out and to get good stuff you need or want without breaking the bank.
Flea Markets.....nuff said.
Book Exchanges....
I keep things until they are used flat into the ground. Waste drives me nuts.

[Alida]

We're driving back home after spending the weekend in the city - and DH wants to stop at Smokey Bones.  I'm already planning on having leftovers for dinner tomorrow night, because even when I order a small amount, there's always way too much food.

I have been guilty of throwing away a drink after one sip - but only after I've been told I've been given unsweetened tea and take a sip to find more sugar in the cup than I would use in an entire month

[Alida]

She threw away BOOKS? That ought to be illegal.

I don't think I could EVER do that!  That's so very very wrong.

[hobish]

If you really want to find good stuff, look around college campuses right before summer breaks begin. Some of the kids will toss out perfectly good couches...because said kids are moving back home for the summer and can't be bothered to do anything but throw away a ton of nice furniture.

Yep! There is a college near us & people do exactly that. I haven't in years, but i'm sure it still happens.

Some girlfriends & i started doing this a few years ago with clothing & it has since become something we do 2x a year with just about anything ... clothes, shoes, purses, books, cookware, whatever. We haul all the stuff we don't want or can't use anymore to someone's house & set it all out by category & then the chaos commences. Anything a friend is getting rid of that you can use, take. So far in about 5 years we've never had anyone fight over anything. When all is said & done, anything not claimed gets donated to a local women's shelter.

I always take food home from restaurants, too. Mr. HGish & i pretty much plan on it when we go out anymore. Wasting food, in particular, makes me crazy. A few years ago my New Year's resolution was to stop wasting so much & i'm happy to say it is one resolution that has stuck.

Did any of you see the challenge in Slate?

http://www.slate.com/id/2151739/

Welcome to the Slate Green Challenge
Your eight-week carbon diet.
By Meaghan O'Neill and treehugger.com

...it was a "carbon diet" aimed mostly at  preventing global warming, but also had a lot to do with not wasting electricity, etc. I thought it was really cool.

[Emmy]

She threw away BOOKS? That ought to be illegal.

Yes, I agree.  I was fortunate I was there to rescue the books.  It has been 10 years since that happened.  I don't even want to think about how many books they've thrown out since then.

I have a tendency to leave lights on after I exit a room.  I should be more careful with that because it is wasting electricity.  While I am careful not to waste food and other items, I tend to be careless when it comes to electricity.

[Venus193]

Throwing away books qualifies as a Class A Felony against the intellect. 

I have so many I have to give them away or have no more room to move.  I'm choosing female military personnel who request them and sending at least a dozen at a time.  The other day I rescued a copier paper box for the purpose of filling it with books to donate to the nearest hospital.  I think those have to be brand new in quality, but that's not a problem.  I have a lot of Harlequins (Historicals and Intrigues) still in the boxes.

[snoopygirl]

I don't remember the last time that I actually finished a normal restaurant portion of anything.

But, that's why they have takeout trays. Nothing quite like a Bennigan's angus cheese and bacon burger reheated the next morning

Cheescake factory is the worst for leftover food. If I am really hungry I could finish a meal at other places. Not there. I had a ton of leftovers. I could have spilt the hamburger with somebody. So we sell the gift cards at my work so I tell people if they ask me about it that you can share the food there.

[Sophia]

Every week I eat at the same restaurant with friends.  I love their Ranch Bacon Burger.  Lots of nice, fresh lettuce, tomato and a pickle are served on the side.  When I ask for it to be left off and that "I know it is on the side, but I don't like waste"  I usually get this "You are sooo high maintenance" look from the waiter.  The place serves good $1 beers, so no chance of changing restaurants.