Tag: Food Waste

Think about the last time you stayed at a hotel. What’s the first thing you ask the receptionist when you arrive? Quite possibly, it’s “Do you provide breakfast?”. They respond with a quick “Yes, we do sir. We serve a complimentary continental breakfast from 6-10:00 am. The food is great!”. Awesome, you think to yourself, while yours kids eyes light up like it’s the Fourth of July. After a full day with the family, you get a good night’s rest. Just as you enter a peaceful forest where birds are chirping, Brandon—you’re seven-year-old, begins tugging on your ear. He  screams “Wake up daddy, wake up!”. Brandon remembered the breakfast comment from yesterday, a close second to the community pool. You, your wife and son walk down to the lobby where a few have already started to congregate and eat. It’s the usual. Three cereal brands, milk, apple juice, coffee, fruit, muffins and the ominous waffle maker. While cranking the handle for your combo cereal (hello there, second grade!), someone burns a waffle, rotating the skillet upside down in a frenzy. Meanwhile, Brandon devours pastries and milk at your small table. You notice many of the people leave, but NOT empty handed. Nope, not here. Instead, they grab a banana and an orange on the way out. Do they eat it, or does it spoil? This is just one small example of how our actions can contribute to a major global issue our civilization is facing. Approximately a third of the world’s food is lost or thrown away each year, and the broader tourism industry in particular, is no different. When you take into consideration how large the tourism sector is, the food waste generated by travelers is a significant source of methane. Methane is created when food breaks down in