March 4, 2025 by Nick Halaris

How business can help us to Stop Wasting So Much Food! #78

Hi Everyone and Welcome Back!

This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring Ben Kuethe Oaks, the Vice President and General Manager at Divert, a circular economy company on a mission to prevent food from being wasted through nationwide infrastructure and innovative technologies. We waste a staggering amount of food here in America—something like 40% of everything we produce.  Meanwhile, there are over 40M food insecure households in America alone and millions more around the world.  Something is not right here!

Ready to dive in? Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and YouTube or on your favorite podcast platform.

I wanted to have Ben on the show to learn more about Divert’s inspiring mission and business and to try to understand just how our food economy evolved to such an inefficient situation.  Divert—a company building sustainable business models that prevent waste, provide more for the food insecure, and use food waste as a sustainable fuel—is an inspiring example of the power of using business as a force for good.

Tune in to this important episode to learn:

  • What “circular economy” means and how Divert is using circular principles to create a whole new kind of capitalistic enterprise

  • How we waste such a staggering amount of food in this country and why it’s such a huge problem (i.e. food insecurity, rapidly shrinking landfill capacity, methane emissions, and farming economics)

  • What Divert is doing to try to ameliorate the situation and why they are so optimistic they can make a big difference

&

  • Much, much more

Stay tuned to the end to learn how an usual childhood interest in dairy farming led Ben to his path as a mission-driven business leader focused on the food economy.  If you are interested in learning more about the history behind the evolution of this crazy food wastage situation, check out Ben’s Tedx talk.

As always, I hope you all enjoy this episode.  Thanks for tuning in!     

 Love this episode? Please rate, subscribe, and review on your favorite podcast platform to help more users find our show. 🙏 Thank you

Keywords

food waste, circular economy, renewable energy, Divert, sustainability, food insecurity, anaerobic digestion, composting, technology, environmental impact, food systems, circular economy, food waste, sustainability, business model, food insecurity, environmental impact, supply chain, community support, renewable energy

 

Summary

In this conversation, Ben Kuethe Oakes, Vice President and General Manager of Divert, discusses the company's mission to combat food waste through innovative solutions in the circular economy. He highlights the staggering statistics surrounding food waste in America, the multifaceted nature of the problem, and the role of technology in reducing waste. The discussion also covers consumer responsibility, policy implications, and the environmental benefits of anaerobic digestion compared to traditional composting. Oakes emphasizes the importance of collaboration and infrastructure in addressing food waste and its impact on food insecurity and climate change. In this conversation, Ben Kuethe Oaks discusses the evolution of food systems, the importance of a circular economy in food production, and the challenges of food waste management. He shares his personal journey from working on dairy farms to leading Divert, a company focused on reducing food waste through innovative business models. The discussion highlights the role of businesses in addressing food insecurity and the need for collaboration to create sustainable solutions.

 

Takeaways

  • Divert aims to prevent food waste through a circular economy model.

  • Landfills are a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

  • Food waste is a significant economic and social issue in the U.S.

  • Divert is building facilities to process unsold food and generate renewable energy.

  • Technology plays a crucial role in understanding and reducing food waste.

  • Consumers contribute to nearly half of food waste in the U.S.

  • Policies like California's SB 1383 are pushing for better food waste management.

  • Composting and anaerobic digestion have different environmental impacts.

  • Divert's approach integrates data technology to optimize waste management.

  • The historical context of food waste reveals a complex evolution in the food system. The food system has evolved from hyper-local to a complex supply chain.

  • Understanding the consequences of food distribution is crucial.

  • A circular economy model is essential for sustainable food systems.

  • Sustainability must have economic incentives to be effective.

  • Landfill capacity is a pressing issue that needs addressing.

  • Subsidized systems have led to inefficiencies in food production.

  • Collaboration is key to reducing food waste at scale.

  • Divert aims to create infrastructure to manage food waste effectively.

  • The journey from dairy farming to food waste management is interconnected.

  • Business models can drive significant change in food insecurity.

 

Titles

  • Transforming Food Waste into Renewable Energy

  • The Circular Economy: A Solution to Food Waste

  • Understanding the Scale of Food Waste in America

  • Divert's Innovative Approach to Food Recovery

 

Sound Bites

  • "We're a circular economy company."

  • "40% of food gets wasted in America."

  • "This is a multi-faceted problem."

  • "Prevent, provide, power."

  • "It's a complex problem."

  • "We were hyper local."

  • "The consequences are hard to see."

  • "Landfill capacity is diminishing."

  • "We've created a subsidized system."

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Divert and Its Mission

02:54 Understanding Food Waste and Its Impact

05:47 Divert's Business Model and Solutions

08:48 The Role of Technology in Reducing Waste

12:08 Consumer Responsibility in Food Waste

14:54 Policy and Infrastructure for Food Recovery

17:56 Comparing Composting and Anaerobic Digestion

21:08 The Future of Renewable Energy from Food Waste

24:01 Historical Context of Food Waste in America

26:00 Circular Economy in Food Production

30:40 The Challenges of Food Waste Management

34:00 Ben's Journey from Dairy to Divert

37:52 Divert's Vision and Future Goals

43:57 The Role of Business in Solving Food Insecurity

USAFacts is clearly performing an important public service with their work. Tune in to this inspiring episode to learn:  

  • How USAFacts manages to navigate over 90K government entities to produce accessible, coherent, and often beautifully organized data on the state of America and the effectiveness of our policies

  • Why American citizens should start thinking of themselves as shareholders of the government

  • Why the USAFacts Government 10-k and its America in Facts Report are must-reads for all concerned citizens

  • How a noble mission to reduce poverty in America led Steve Ballmer in the unexpected direction of focusing on making data more accessible to the American people

  • What Poppy thinks of the proposal to reduce the deficit via efficiency improvements

    &

  • Much, much more 

Stay tuned to the end to learn about Poppy’s fascinating and transformative experiences studying abroad in Nepal and how what she learned there about community motivates her passionate civic work today.

As always, I hope you all enjoy this episode. Thanks for tuning in!

Love this episode? Please rate, subscribe, and review on your favorite podcast platform to help more users find our show. 🙏 Thank you

 

Keywords

USAFacts, government data, civic engagement, transparency, 10K report, local data, COVID-19, civic health, data accessibility, citizen shareholders, COVID-19, data collection, government reporting, FOIA, homelessness data, government audits, economic data, government efficiency, Congress, community service

Summary

In this conversation, Nick Halaris interviews Poppy MacDonald, the president of USAFacts, about the organization's mission to provide accessible government data to empower American citizens. They discuss the origin of USA Facts, the significance of the 10K report, and the concept of citizens as shareholders in the country. The conversation also delves into the complexity of government agencies, the importance of local data, the challenges of trust in government data, and the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic regarding data accessibility. In this conversation, Nick Halaris and Poppy MacDonald discuss the challenges of data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for improved reporting systems, and the complexities of accessing public data. They explore the issues surrounding homelessness data, government accountability, and the importance of understanding economic data trends. The discussion also touches on the quest for government efficiency, the role of Congress in data literacy, and personal reflections on community service and experiences in Nepal.

Takeaways

  • USAFacts aims to empower Americans with factual data.

  • The organization is nonpartisan and focuses on transparency.

  • The 10K report serves as a comprehensive overview of government spending and outcomes.

  • Citizens are considered shareholders in the country due to their tax contributions.

  • There are approximately 90,000 government entities in the U.S.

  • Local data is crucial for understanding community issues.

  • AI is being leveraged to provide personalized local insights.

  • Trust in government data is essential for informed decision-making.

  • The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for standardized data reporting.

  • Efforts are underway to improve data accessibility and transparency. Data collection during COVID-19 was labor-intensive and flawed.

  • Improved reporting systems are essential for timely data.

  • FOIA requests highlight the challenges of accessing public data.

  • Homelessness data is often inadequate and difficult to analyze.

  • Government audits are crucial for accountability but often fail.

  • Economic data must be contextualized over time to ensure accuracy.

  • Government efficiency is a pressing issue for budget management.

  • Congress is increasingly interested in leveraging data for decision-making.

  • Access to transparent information is vital for public understanding.

  • Personal experiences shape one's commitment to community service.

 

Titles

  • Empowering Citizens with Data: The USA Facts Mission

  • The Journey of USA Facts: From Idea to Impact

  • Decoding the 10K Report: A Citizen's Guide

  • Understanding Our Role as Shareholders in America

  • Navigating the Maze of Government Agencies

 

Sound Bites

  • "We will publish this 10-key report."

  • "You're making a big investment through your taxes."

  • "We want to keep doing that."

  • "We need data for the government."

  • "We were the country's data source."

  • "Imagine if there was an API feed of that data."

  • "There is still work that needs to be done."

  • "FOIA would be getting access to data that we want."

  • "There isn't great data available and accessible."

  • "How does a government agency fail an audit?"

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to USAFacts and Its Mission

03:03 The Origin Story of USA Facts

06:06 Understanding the 10K Report

09:04 Citizens as Shareholders of America

12:09 The Complexity of Government Agencies

14:48 Local Data and Community Engagement

18:03 Leveraging AI for Local Insights

20:50 Trust in Government Data

24:05 The COVID Data Challenge

26:07 The Challenges of Data Collection During COVID-19

28:05 The Need for Improved Reporting Systems

29:21 Navigating Public Data Access and FOIA Requests

30:31 Understanding Homelessness Data Challenges

33:09 Government Accountability and Audit Failures

36:22 Trusting Economic Data and Trends

38:02 The Quest for Government Efficiency

40:46 Congress and Data Literacy

42:59 Personal Reflections on Service and Community

47:00 Life Lessons from Living in Nepal