With the goal of cutting food waste by 50% from 2005 levels by 2030, The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) has been helping to fund NextCycle Michigan. This program gives grants and advice to small companies in the state looking to reduce food waste.
One of these start-ups is Penny Pickup. With robot food delivery vehicles becoming more popular, the company Orange Sparkle Ball decided to launch Penny Pickup as a pickup service, instead of delivery. Its focus is to remove trash and unwanted items, primarily food waste.
“I think a lot of people really do have good intentions when it comes to being responsible with the things that they’re throwing away,” Hannah Ranieri, an innovation strategist for Orange Sparkle Ball, said. “If we can lower the barrier to entry for them to make responsible decisions when it comes to disposal, then they will make that choice.”…