Food Waste and Activism with Elis Joudalova

Transition Islands

Up to a third(1) of all food produced is wasted in the process of food growth, harvest, supply chain, binning by supermarkets and household waste. If only a fraction of this "wasted" food was salvaged it would be enough to eliminate hunger and malnutrition.

As our population keeps growing and land use changing to support more and more intensive agriculture, the pressure on our planet from the unsustainable food ecosystem has never been higher. Depending on where you are in the world, agriculture and land-use change, which often accompanies the need for agricultural expansion, are together among the top 2-5 most important contributing factors to climate change.

What may be inappropriately dabbed as "waste", is usually viable for consumption.

In this episode, we explore this pertinent subject with entrepreneur and activist Elis Joudalova, a resident of the island of Jersey and founder of the OLIO community hubs in Jersey, Guernsey and Stockholm. She is a food waste and circular economy professional with a contagious passion for food, environment and community empowerment.

We talk about why food waste and its twin social issue of food poverty, present everywhere, including the relatively affluent island communities of Jersey and Guernsey. We see how technology, innovation and design can be the modern power for positive change.

Last but not least, you cannot stop but get inspired by Elis' infectious optimism and willingness to stand for what she believes in to be the change you want to see in the world!

You can follow Elis on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/elis-joudalova-95a10563/.

(1) UN Food and Agriculture Organisation - http://www.fao.org/food-loss-and-food-waste/en/