Food
The UC Davis Renewable Energy Anaerobic Digester, which officially opened Earth Day, April 22, 2014, converts organic waste from campus and other sources into clean energy for the campus electrical grid. The anaerobic digestion technology used in the facility was invented by UC Davis professor Ruihong Zhang and licensed to Sacramento-based CleanWorld. (UC Davis)
Planet Forward Correspondent | University of Wisconsin-Madison
Next in our Tackling Food Waste series: What if you could take food waste and give it another life — or two? That's the idea behind the biodigester facility at UC Davis. University of Wisconsin-Madison's Peter Jurich reports.
George Washington University
Next in Tackling Food Waste: GW's Ellen Wang asks us to look at our own food waste. We might think that the garbage bin is the end of the story when it comes to food you're not going to eat – but there's more to to it than that.
John Purcell, head of Vegetables R&D for Bayer, was leading the conversation on plant breeding on a tour of Bayer's research facility in Woodland, Calif., in August. (Planet Forward)
Stevenson University
Next in our series: Stevenson University's Quinn Luethy looks deeper into how we're going to feed our planet's growing population. Solutions include the development of crops that can withstand the challenges of climate change.
(Photos by Katherine Baker/Columbia University)
Planet Forward Senior Correspondent | Columbia University
Next in our Tackling Food Waste series: Any food discussion inevitably involves GMOs. Columbia University's Katherine Baker spoke with an organic farmer and plant pathologist/geneticist to find out more.
Planet Forward Correspondent | University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Next in our series: Photojournalist James Wooldridge takes a peek into the diversity of form among California's farms, which points out the intersection between art and science in agriculture.
Planet Forward students toured Bayer's research gardens as a part of our trip. But we happened to visit when the facility was open to everyone through an annual event called "Field Days," where they focus on communicating about agriculture to both educate and demystify the process. (Planet Forward)
Kansas State University
Sustainability and food used to be separate conversations. In the next story in the series, Kansas State's Olivia Bergmeier explores how sustainable ag is now a joint conversation — and both consumers and producers are talking together.
In mid-August, the sunflowers are nearly ready for harvest at Schreiner Farms in Woodland, Calif. (Dani Huffman/Kenyon College)
Kenyon College
Next in our Tackling Food Waste series: Kenyon College student farmer Dani Huffman looks at the pros and cons of traditional and organic farming - and the issue of sustainable agriculture. Turns out it isn't as black and white as it seems.
A tractor sits idle on Eric Schreiner's family farm. Schreiner Farms grows tomatoes for The Morning Star Company, which produces products for companies like Campbell's and Heinz. (Brigit Kenney/Eckerd College)
Eckerd College
In the next story in our Tackling Food Waste series, Eckerd College student Brigit Kenney looks at the broad connection between food production to actually getting that food on our plates. It's a much larger process than she expected to see.
Texas Tech University
In mid-August, Planet Forward took students to California to learn more about food waste reduction. Here, photojournalist Justin Rex explores the push for more sustainable agriculture in California’s Central Valley. Learn more in his photo essay.
Here's an unpopular, but environmentally friendly habit that can prevent food waste and reduce the amount of waste that heads to the landfill: Dumpster diving. And, surprise! You might also make some money doing it. (Photos by Peter Jurich/University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Planet Forward Correspondent | University of Wisconsin-Madison
My partner and I have been dumpster diving for a little over a year now. It sounds gross — and it certainly can be — but we've found mostly benefits to this uncommon practice.