FRUGALITY PAYS:

Japanese companies are working to halve the country's food waste by 2030 by turning it into a number of commodities including biodiesel, concrete, and even furniture. A recent Washington Post article profiled three companies upcycling Japan's food waste. 

First off, Takachiho Amaterasu Railway is using fuel made in part from lard used in ramen and spent tempura cooking oil.

"By implementing the biodiesel, we wanted people to become more conscious about environmental issues as well as biodiesel," Hiroyoshi Saitoh, Takachiho Amaterasu Railway's managing director told the Post. 

Fabula, a Tokyo-based start-up, is turning food scraps into concrete. It dries food scraps, including cabbage, orange and onion peels, tea leaves, and coffee grounds. The dried food scraps are compressed into molds at high temperatures forming a cement. 

Cement is a leading producer of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 8% of global emissions. So by using up food scraps, Fabula makes a dent in two industries at once.

Tweet   @brothersjudd