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| Date: | Mon, 30 Nov 2020 21:28:55 +1100 |
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Hi all
While Australia has done better than most countries this year in
dealing with covid, this report reminds us that all is not completely
rosy
- https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/nov/30/australias-food-waste-skyrockets-amid-covid-panic-buying
I'm reminded of one of [?the main] findings from Bill Rathje's Garbage
Project, which was able to examine food use across a period when there
was some sort of supply drama. He found that, contrary to
expectation, although meat prices rose, the amount of food waste
increased. His explanation was that people bought cheaper cuts they
were unfamiliar with and so wasted more than they saved in price [I'm
relying on decades-old memory here, it may be an unfair
characterisation].
Now we have a possibly similar phenomenon - duress prompts a change in
food buying behaviour that leads to a perverse outcome - increased
wastage.
While it prompts all manner of thoughts, I can't think of too many
sites with evidence of profligate domestic consumption and food waste
from the late 19th century or earlier. Is this an example of modern
consumerist behaviour, or is my site universe overly selective? Does
routine reliance on cheap and abundant food, refrigeration, the Cult
of Freshness and Perfectable Food*, and consequence-free wastage lead
to this being a marker of the fin-de-siecle 20th century+?
One thing to note is that it was probably a self-reporting or diary
derived survey. The weakness of this compared to having Bill Rathje
rummaging around in your bins is readily apparent.
Thoughts welcome
Denis
* I am considering registering this for religious tax exemptions.
Intending apostles can apply at the address below.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Denis Gojak
PO Box 457
Newtown NSW 2042
Australia
e [log in to unmask] [1]
m 0489 944 822 - private
0400 474 405 - work
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Links:
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[1] mailto:[log in to unmask]
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