While controlling food waste has been at the helm of many international campaigns, such as SAVE FOOD and Think.Eat.Save, the problem remains a reality in much of the world, including Latin America.

The divide between rich and poor, the haves and the have-nots, can be difficult to ignore in the region. Organization’s such as Argentina’s “Heladera Social,” or the Social Fridge, however, show a more compassionate side of things. Through publicly accessible refrigerators, the group has been able to pool resources from across communities.

Co-founder Fernando Ríos spoke with freshfruitportal.com about the group’s initiative to connect hungry mouths with otherwise discarded foods.

“For five years, we’ve been thinking about what we could do with leftovers that are generated in culinary activities every day,” Ríos said.

Unfortunately, idea after idea, the group’s lawyers advised against their plans. Through persistence, however, Ríos came back to the idea.

“One night as I was saying goodbye to a colleague, we saw a father and his family taking cartons. He took one of the smallest children and put him in the trash bin to search for food in the deepest bags,” he said.

“That image is what really impressed us, not because we hadn't seen it before but because it was impossible in that moment to not put ourselves in that place. We felt really ashamed of ourselves because we had been throwing food out, and we saw how a family arrived to that food as trash.”

The evening inspired the group to work tirelessly toward their goals. They gathered information and global legislation on food waste over the coming month.

The information eventually gave to what is now the “social fridge,” a place where the public can find and access food in good condition that would otherwise go to waste.

The enthusiastic community response took Ríos by surprise. Neighbors joined in on contributions and there are now eight other “social fridges” throughout Argentina.

“We are convinced any bar owner can’t go without a social fridge. It can also be launched independently by community members who always have an extra plate of food at lunch or at dinner,” Ríos said.

Regarding local ordinances, Ríos said they have not had problems with municipalities, which have largely supported the efforts.

On the topic of food safety, he said all donations from restaurants and the community are packaged in plastic and processed before being made available. Community members can count on controlled-care protocol that clarifies donation requirements.

“The ‘social fridge’ serves to make us ask, among other things, what do we do with our food? Usually we check out the prices at the supermarket, or in restaurants and bars. But proportionally, percentage-wise, the place where we eat food the most is at home,” Ríos said.

“We also want to to focus the looking glass there and bring awareness to what was once trash - a bit of rice or chicken. Things we don’t give value to at home could become a plate of food for your neighbor.”

Photos: Heladera Social

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