25. The Cost of Wasted Food: Climate, Justice, and Systemic Change

25. The Cost of Wasted Food: Climate, Justice, and Systemic Change

Author: Jenn Galler January 9, 2026 Duration: 35:57

In this episode, I speak with Yuka Nagashima, the Executive Director of Food Shift, she has spent her career working at the intersection of food, equity, and environmental impact. Food Shift is an organization dedicated to transforming our food system by addressing wasted food, redistributing surplus, and building more just, regenerative local food economies. 

Food touches every part of our lives. It shapes our health, our culture, our economy and our planet. Yet in the United States, we throw away up to 40 percent of the food we grow. At the same time, millions of people experience food insecurity every day.

That contradiction tells us something important: this isn’t a problem of not having enough food. It’s a problem rooted in financial insecurity, immigration and labor conditions, land rights, transportation and logistics, and market expectations that demand constant abundance and “perfect” shelves.

Contact and connect with Yuka: yuka@foodshift.net

Food Shift: https://foodshift.net/


Hosted by Jenn Galler, In Our Backyard Podcast is the voice of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, bringing urgent local stories to the forefront. This isn't about abstract global debates; it's a grounded conversation focused on the very real industrial pressures facing specific towns and neighborhoods. Each episode examines a particular threat, from active coal plants and fracking operations to the routing of new pipelines, unpacking the complex realities behind the headlines. You'll hear directly from the residents and organizers who are living these fights, sharing their personal struggles and strategies for safeguarding both community health and the local environment. The discussions are detailed and thoughtful, prioritizing the experiences of those on the ground. Tuning into this podcast means connecting with the persistent, often overlooked work of environmental justice, understanding that the most critical battles for planetary protection frequently begin just outside our own doors.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

In Our Backyard Podcast
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