Laura Skiles’ Post

Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming’s Good Food Local: the London report highlights that London councils are committed to meaningful action on food, despite years of budget cuts. #London #goodfoodmovement #accesstogoodfood #fooddeserts #sustainablefood #healthydiet #localfood #ukfoodpolicy #localgovernment #localcouncil #budgetcuts Food Matters Soil Association City, University of London Mayor of London https://lnkd.in/eXrYx2Ad

What iff...business challenges became dinner solutions? Last year, we prevented more than 41,000 tonnes of surplus food from going to waste. That’s millions of great quality meals for our Company and Community Shop members, bought at massively discounted prices 💰. We're proud to be part of Biffa and redistribute perfectly good surplus food and household products, helping communities 👨👨👦👦 and businesses 🏭 unlock its value to deliver positive impacts. Here's how we do it 👉https://lnkd.in/eRDCN6vQ

UK water companies are failing the local communities they serve. There is a crisis of widespread pollution affecting rivers and seas. This news story reflects another problem affecting more than one company - providing clean drinking water in parts of the UK. We said this (about [social] impact investing) in The Maturity Institute's core text, The Mature Corporation - a Model of Responsible Capitalism (2019): "...all companies and organizations should be defined by their purpose, and that purpose should be a positive societal benefit. If they are not, then should governments be framing legislation accordingly? To a hungry citizen, any supermarket selling food provides a positive and important social benefit. Is there any difference in social impact between the provision of clean drinking water to customers in London by a private company called Thames Water, or in sub-Saharan Africa by a charity or NGO? The provision of clean, readily available drinking water to all is the primary aim here, and all of these organizations should be healthy in terms of both their financial and human ecosystems." #ESG #impact #culture #risk #TotalStakeholderValue

🍌 ♻ Did you know recycling food scraps, like fruit and vegetable peels, eggshells and bones, has many environmental benefits? 🍌 ♻ It saves space in landfills, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and creates an environmentally beneficial product out of material that would have otherwise become waste. In Ramsey and Washington counties, about 20% of trash is food scraps. Residents can recycle food scraps at several drop-off sites throughout the two counties, and beginning this fall, a new way to recycle food scraps from home will begin rolling out to residents- the food scraps pickup program! The program rollout will take place over multiple years. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gc4qjSjM.

Supporting local food systems amid climate change and other challenges is essential to the sustainability and availability of high-quality foods for local communities. A recent article published in GreenMoney discussed this important issue, and I wanted to share a summary of it. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in the US food supply chain, underscoring the need for resilience against future disruptions. Now, as we face the ongoing and accelerating impacts of climate change, diversifying and strengthening our food system is more crucial than ever. Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) like Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI) are stepping up to fill the gap, recognizing the importance of investing in localized processing, distribution, and retail. In Maine, where the food ecosystem is predominantly small-scale and diversified, infrastructure gaps pose challenges to coordination. CEI has been a driving force in building Maine's food system infrastructure, providing capital, entrepreneurial support, and advocating for increased government investment. Take, for instance, Short Creek Meats—a startup supported by CEI and the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund. By investing in a USDA-inspected facility, we've enabled them to expand their operations, offering co-packing services and creating new avenues for growth. But financing such endeavors isn't without its challenges. Meat processing, for example, is a highly concentrated industry in the US, making it difficult for smaller players to find processing facilities. CEI's recent efforts to consolidate and refinance Short Creek Meats' loans not only provide them with working capital but also contribute to long-term savings and flexibility, essential for further expansion. As we look to the future, investing in localized food systems isn't just about resilience—it's about reducing carbon footprints, supporting local economies, and fostering healthier communities. Together, let's build a more sustainable, equitable food future. #LocalFood #SustainableAg #CommunityDevelopment https://lnkd.in/gYM4C7BZ

Access to food in low income areas is necessary. Food is a basic need. Without our basic needs met it is even more difficult to flourish. Often times we build access in newly developed areas, and forget that current areas need access to basic needs like food. Supermarkets can be 1-10 miles away, and without adequate transportation it can be difficult to get to a store with good food options outside your area. In Fort Bend County, TX, we are looking at these realities. If people are going to move from surviving to thriving, we need to think differently and address things like food deserts, accessibile housing, and job market access. These solutions should include the poor.

By shopping at one of our local farmers’ markets, not only will you find the freshest produce but you’ll also be reducing your carbon footprint and helping to protect our local environment! 🍎 Buying local produce directly from the grower means your food is fresher and tastier. 🌍 From reducing food miles to minimising waste, farmers markets are a more sustainable way of buying your weekly groceries. 👩🌾 You’ll be supporting local traders too! When you buy at a farmers market, you’re directly supporting local farmers. And in turn, this money is then more likely to be spent on other local services, helping to keep the money in the local economy. 🙋 And you get to meet the people that grow your food, ask them questions, and perhaps even get some tips on how to prepare it. Don’t miss our Chichester Farmers’ Markets every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month in East Street, offering the best products from across the Chichester District. You can keep up to date on these markets and which stallholders are attending, at: https://lnkd.in/e5XcMwZB By following us, we’ll also let you know about other great farmers’ markets taking place across the district, including the monthly Midhurst Farmers’ and Artisan Market.

This is what business leadership in the circular economy looks like. It's not glamourous. It's not easy. Entrepreneurs like Stuart Lilley and organizations like ReFeed Canada need to exist to set the groundwork and then scale up for a more sustainable economy. What they are doing to change up our food system's problem with food waste is really quite remarkable. Watch the video and consider contributing to the campaign.

Food as Medicine，agreed，but not only from farm...

By shopping at one of our local farmers’ markets, not only will you find the freshest produce but you’ll also be reducing your carbon footprint and helping to protect our local environment! 🍎 Buying local produce directly from the grower means your food is fresher and tastier. 🌍 From reducing food miles to minimising waste, farmers markets are a more sustainable way of buying your weekly groceries. 👩🌾 You’ll be supporting local traders too! When you buy at a farmers market, you’re directly supporting local farmers. And in turn, this money is then more likely to be spent on other local services, helping to keep the money in the local economy. 🙋 And you get to meet the people that grow your food, ask them questions, and perhaps even get some tips on how to prepare it. Don’t miss our Chichester Farmers’ Markets every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month in East Street, offering the best products from across the Chichester District. You can keep up to date on these markets and which stallholders are attending, at: https://lnkd.in/eYCjP28q By following us, we’ll also let you know about other great farmers’ markets taking place across the district, including the monthly Midhurst Farmers’ and Artisan Market.