Dear Colleagues,
Sending you this newsletter with heaps of gratitude, excitement, and hope for what’s coming out of Littlefoot, sprinkled with sadness and angst as we continue to watch the conflict in Israel and Palestine unfold. It feels awkward and performative to acknowledge the terrifying headlines, but as a Jewish mother, and as a grandchild of Holocaust survivors, I feel a great unease that is almost impossible to ignore.
I am extremely proud of my Jewish heritage and even more proud to pass this identity of strength and resilience onto my children. So in this moment when I am not exactly sure what to do or say, my greatest act of protest in support of every human being on both sides of this agonizing conflict is to embody the Jewish value of tzedakah, or helping others. Tzedakah, derived from the Hebrew word “justice,” is the concept of creating Tikkun Olam, a “repaired world,” and to lessen human suffering. If anything, I hope the spirit of this sentiment stays with you today.
In the spirit of providing value to others, I am grateful to share happenings from the Littlefoot world:
- I shared my thoughts with Waste360 about how secondary resellers and mark-down apps and ecommerce platforms like Martie are an important solution to move surplus quickly in grocery and retail settings.
- My friend and mentee, Nora Landis-Shack, is featured on the Littlefoot blog this week, sharing her takeaways from a year in NYU’s Food Studies program. You don’t want to miss the insightful synthesis of the food space from this gem of a human!
- Planet FWD is making incredible headway in holistically portraying a company’s climate footprint through their AI-Powered Decarbonization Platform.
I’m in the Bay Area next week and would love to see you!
- Philanthropic advising and climate philanthropy strategy are rapidly growing services within my consulting work so I’m thrilled to be attending SOCAP23 in San Francisco next week to learn from and connect with impact investors and philanthropists.
- Immediately after, I head down to San Jose for GreenBiz’s VERGE conference. There, I’ll be hosting a workshop with GreenBiz Founder Joel Makower, Gesina Beckert of Food for Climate League, and Sonalie Figueiras of Green Queen, on how to effectively communicate complex food systems to consumers. In this session I will be sharing key insights about the “values-driven” consumer and best practices to establish internal corporate alignment as a means to execute an authentic sustainability strategy.
As always, I am interested to know what’s going on in your world and how I can support you.
Yours in partnership,
Eva
Contact me via our website.
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What I’m Reading
Pingree, Lawler Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Curb Food Waste – Office of Congresswoman Chellie Pingree
US Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) introduced the bipartisan New Opportunities for Technological Innovation, Mitigation, and Education to Overcome Waste Act, or the NO TIME TO Waste Act, which addresses food waste and promote sustainability, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of discarded food and support local communities.
In addition to this bipartisan bill, other investments are being made into federal sustainability initiatives. The USDA has expanded their efforts in preventing and reducing food waste and food loss with a $25 million investment as part of a joint agency initiative between USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist (OCE). The Biden-Harris Administration also recently invested more than $100 million in expanding recycling infrastructure and waste management systems across the country, representing EPA’s largest recycling investment in 30 years.
New York’s composting law could set a national example – Axios
New York City’s composting law sets a pioneering example for recycling and waste management in the United States, emphasizing the importance of eco-friendly practices in urban environments.
Food-recycling startup Mill Industries raising $100M Series C – Axios
Mill Industries, a food recycling startup, secures additional funding in a Series C round, contributing to the circular economy and helping reduce food waste in the industry.
Trailhead Capital Closes Inaugural $50 Million Fund Focused on Regenerative Food and Agriculture Companies – Trailhead Capital
Trailhead Capital successfully closes a $50 million fund dedicated to supporting regenerative food and agriculture companies, furthering sustainable practices and innovation in the sector.
How to Tell Real Stories About Impact– Stanford Social Innovation Review
The Stanford Social Innovation Review article provides insights on effectively conveying genuine impact stories, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and transparent communication in the nonprofit and social impact sectors.
Food Is Made to Be Eaten – NRDC
NRDC teamed up with chef Tom Colicchio in their new campaign “Food Is Made to Be Eaten” to highlight expanded liability protections under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act for qualified food donors, including caterers, restaurants, food trucks, hotels, colleges, and more, to donate directly to individuals.
Kroger Highlights Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Progress in Annual Sustainability Report – Kroger
Kroger showcases its progress in achieving “Zero Hunger | Zero Waste” goals in its annual sustainability report, demonstrating the company’s commitment to reducing food waste and improving community access to nutritious food.
Global Food Systems Network Map from Meridian – Meridian Institute
Meridian Institute has introduced The Global Food Systems Network Map, an online tool designed to visually represent the relationships among stakeholders involved in food systems-related efforts worldwide.
Welcome to the Season of Climate Reporting – Brumidi Group
Madeline Wade of the Brumidi Group breaks down what has transpired on the ESG reporting front over the last few months and what’s to come as the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) gears up to release the long-anticipated final version of its Climate Disclosure Rule.