WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES OCTOBER 26, 2017 13
LETTERS AND COMMENTS OP-ED
Waste not, want not to help feed hungry
BY STATE SENATOR JOSEPH ADDABBO
Every year, about 34 million tons
of food waste is tossed out across
the United States. At the same
time, many people across our nation
– including hundreds of thousands
in our very own city – are considered
“food insecure,” meaning they can’t
aff ord enough food to eat each day.
That’s why I’m pleased a new law
(Chapter 316), which I co-sponsored, will
encourage school districts, universities
and other educational institutions to
begin programs creating the ability to
donate excess, unused and edible food
to volunteer organizations engaged
in feeding needy individuals. The
measure, which will go into eff ect next
March, requires the State Education
Department and NYS Department
of Agriculture and Markets to develop
voluntary guidelines to move the
program forward.
This is a good fi rst step toward addressing
food waste, which makes up
about 14 percent of solid municipal waste
in the nation annually. The law holds
great potential for reducing food waste
in educational institutions, while assisting
residents who don’t have enough to
eat. I also believe that this program can
be used as an educational means for
teaching students not to waste food and
about the need to help others.
Food insecurity is a serious issue. In
New York City, from 2013 through 2015,
there were 424,307 residents, in households
with at least one person working, unable
to afford food. In addition, about one
in five New York City children – or about
429,000 – were experiencing hunger.
I look forward to tracking the progress
of this new law when it goes into
eff ect next spring. In January, when
the new legislative session begins, I
will also work to expand opportunities
for additional programs to reduce food
waste, protect our environment, and
address food insecurity.
For example, I will push legislation
(S.5461) I co-sponsor which would expand
donation programs by requiring
state and local governments, educational
institutions, and food service
establishments contracted by these
entities to minimize waste. Under this
proposal, excess food, food scraps and
organic waste would be used fi rst – as
appropriate – to supply
organizations feeding the hungry,
and then to provide animal food. I intend
to also stress the need to ensure
the safety and health of others when
handling unwanted, unused food.
In addition, organic waste and food
scraps would be processed to create
products such as bio-diesels, soaps
and agricultural soil amendments
including compost.
Clearly, the reuse of excess food, in
addition to fi ghting hunger, has great
benefi ts for our environment. It reduces
the amount of organic waste in our
landfi lls, and allows vegetable matter to
become valuable compost for farmers
and gardeners. It can also help create
employment opportunities in the growing
“green jobs” sector of our economy.
These efforts represent a very
positive one-two punch in addressing
two vital issues: cutting food waste
and providing needed meals for the
hungry.
Senator Addabbo represents the
15th Senatorial District which covers
much of southwestern Queens and the
western Rockaways.
CONVENTION
GIVES POWER
BACK TO PEOPLE
On Nov. 7, the back of the voting
ballot will have a question on whether
to call for a state constitutional
convention. A majority of politicians
oppose the bid to amend the state constitution,
remarking that “big money
special interests” would infl uence the
convention process.
Funny, but these same politicians
don’t recall that “special interests”
have been holding sway over the state
legislature each and every day for
years.
A constitutional convention could
institute term limits, remedy internal
power struggles, foster government
reform eff orts, end gerrymandering
and take power from “the three men
in the room” that seemingly make all
the important decisions when it comes
to state government.
New Yorkers can use the constitutional
convention as a way to reform
state government from the inside out,
and make the Empire State a national
trendsetter. The growing urgency
for a constitutional convention is
furthered by politicians who have
forgotten that they should be working
for the people, not lobbyists and
special interests.
Only the people can change things
on Nov. 7.
Joseph Campbell, Port Washington
VOTING
AGAINST
‘CON CON’
IS SMART CHOICE
In her Oct. 19 op-ed, Rachel Bloom
confuses caution with an implied desire
to undermine democratic processes
when she urges a vote to organize a
constitutional convention.
At this moment, a President, an
Attorney General, and a U.S. Congress
seem poised to bulldoze the terrain of
American society. Think of the dangers
facing a woman’s right to choose, immigrant
rights, workplace protections,
preservation of the environment and
clean water, support of public education,
voter access, civil rights, and
regulation of big money in all its forms.
There are rights and freedoms that
the NYS Constitution protects. There
are regulations that the NYS Constitution
enables. The legal framework
which the NYS Constitution constructs
empowers our Attorney General to
protect our rights in court.
It is important that New York
State acts with caution and waits
before making our state constitution
vulnerable.
Ms. Bloom hinges her argument
on the goal of increasing voter
turnout. She lists several issues
that would energize voter turnout if
New York State held a constitutional
convention and changed several
laws. She expresses valid concerns
about the nomination of candidates.
These are issues which legislation
and a healthy public information
campaign can address. This path to
reform would save the taxpayer the
price tag of hundreds of millions of
dollars that’s attached to a constitutional
convention.
In these turbulent times, a
constitutional convention creates
an opportunity for divisive and
energized factions. These factions
may attack cornerstones of our
community. In the flurry of an
enormous lawmaking undertaking,
the moment to change something or
everything can emerge. Now is not
the time to open that rabbit hole.
Debra Michlewitz, Bayside
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Our thanks go out to Tiido
Tennelo of Wilmington, VT,
who provided us with this
wintry scene from 1958 of
Tennis Place near Dartmouth
Street in Forest Hills Gardens.
Tennelo lived in the Forest
Hills area at that time, and he
took this picture while out for
a walk following a snowstorm.
Send us your historic photos
of Queens by email to editorial@
qns.com (subject: A Look
Back) or mail printed pictures
to A Look Back, ℅ The Queens
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Bayside, NY 11361. All mailed
pictures will be carefully
returned to you.
A LOOK BACK
