Feature in Sonoma Magazine food issue: The War on Waste

I've written a lot about waste over the years: plastics, recycling, landfilling, incineration/waste-to-energy, wastewater, and more. One of the key concepts in modern municipal waste management, taking a cue from natural systems, is that "waste" should be viewed as a resource. We're recognizing this when we create compost from our green waste, now universally required in California. But when it comes to edible food, even compost that will be fed to future crops is a destination of last resort. As I address in my new feature for Sonoma magazine's May 2022 special Food Issue,* the hierarchy of waste for food dictates that first it should be fed to humans, then animals, then, finally, the compost bin. With the help of some of Sonoma County's most creative and ardently anti-waste restaurateurs, I explore these concepts and their implications. It was a lot of fun, and I learned a lot. Hopefully you will too. The art and layout are fantastic, so see the digital edition here. (*The Press Democrat re-ran my feature in the Sonoma Life section of the Sunday, 6/25/22 paper.)