What is Food Not Waste? Basically it is an ethical food sale put on by students for students as well as the community. Food Not Waste means eating food without creating any waste. This means every step of the way we avoid waste by buying the food in bulk without packaging to serving food on real dishes eliminating the need to throw away paper products. It also means composting uneaten, leftover food. Our organization was created by a group of campus clubs who felt there was a need to have an alternative to on-campus dining facilities. “We were tired of high prices and disposable plates” one club member said. The initiative we took was to serve an earth friendly ethical meal to students and community at low cost. There are ways to shop and eat that leave little impact on the environment such as eating vegetarian, buying products in bulk, or with little to no packaging. Involving the community in this event is another main goal. To do this we invite anyone to come volunteer or eat. We also always shop at the local businesses and inquire about donations where appropriate. In the past, we have received donations from Brio Breadworks, Pacific Rim Noodle House, The Tofu Shop, the CO-OP, and Wildberries. By getting the food donated, we are able to raise funds to put on the next event because all the money that is made goes to future events, which keep getting better and better. Eventually if the carry over grew and grew, we would invest in protecting rainforest, for example. The events are required to be sustainable on all levels including food preparation, composting, reusing, and using bio-diesel and pedal-power technologies. The Campus Center for Appropriate Technology (CCAT) has contributed the bio-diesel for our stoves. Bio-diesel is an eco-friendly fuel made from recycled veggie oil that can be used in lieu of diesel oil or butane fuel. CCAT’s pedal-powered blender smoothies delight all who want a cool organic drink between classes.Another way to create no waste is to serve all food in reusable containers with real silver ware. This is one of our main issues with the on-campus dining facilities, who serve the majority of food in disposable packaging. Our goal is zero waste so we collect tofu, yogurt, and salsa containers from students or borrow dishes. You can create no waste everyday by just bringing your own containers from students or borrow dishes. Food Not Waste can serve as an example for a way to eat that you can participate in everyday. We avoid pesticide usage by buying organic produce, helping take care of the human body and Earth’s body at the same time!The future vision of Food Not Waste is to become a permanent part of the HSU campus. We would like to provide meals on a regular basis but can only do this with a committed team of individuals. Volunteer effort is what makes our organization work. Putting on events is fun and fulfilling when we can come together as a community to make something great happen. Our next event is coinciding with Associated Students’ HSU Harvest Festival happening on October 31, Halloween Day between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm. Come check us out and support other school organizations as well as we all party for this festive Fall event with music by Lazy Bones, on the Quad!