Food waste is just part of the larger sustainability issue the United States faces as on of the largest producers of waste. The U.S. restaurant sector generates 18 percent of U.S. food waste, at a cost of roughly $25 billion annually.

Hopefully, American restaurants will start taking notice of their Canadian neighbors in Toronto who are reducing their waste each week (reaching nearly 0 waste), making more money, and creating a fun Sunday night tradition.

Chef Darcy MacDonnell of Farmhouse Tavern in Toronto started the weekly event “F*** Mondays.” The name stems from the dread that comes with either freezing or throwing out food Monday morning after a slow Sunday night dinner service (and the reluctance we all feel about starting the work week). Each Sunday night they serve dishes designed to use excess food from the week, at steep discounts - as much as 50% off. The event creates excitement around the food, since menu items quickly disappear as the night wears on, and leaves the restaurant with an empty fridge to start the new week. It’s a win-win.

To read the full story, visit www.npr.org.

Some people start working in renewables out of moral convictions. For others, it’s just the smart thing to do. We really enjoyed getting the perspective from these coal families who have turned to professions in wind or solar because there was more opportunity. Learn more about their stories at nytimes.com.

Some companies are jumping on the plastic-free wave, but in general it’s still very difficult to go without plastic in modern life. Everything from brushing your teeth to preparing a meal involves consuming a product that is somehow packaged in or made of plastic. It’s critical that we all learn how to have a lower impact on the planet, but it seems like we’ll need larger systemic change to address this issue. Learn about what it takes to live plastic free with this article from nytimes.com.

New study proves that air pollution is disproportionately caused by different groups than those that live with its impacts.

Just because you’re not feeling the impacts of air pollution, does not mean that it’s not a problem. This new study shows that “air pollution is disproportionately caused by white Americans' consumption of goods and services, but disproportionately inhaled by black and Hispanic Americans.” Read the full story at npr.org.

Ikea: Wildhomes for Wildlife by Mother

Thinking about your next up-cycle project? Neither are we. But! Ikea has us super inspired (and wishing we were more handy with a hand saw) with these beautiful “wildhomes” they produced in partnership with Mother. Learn more about the partnership on thedrum.com.

Ideas worth spreading: top TED talks.

We’re constantly inspired by the myriad of cool ideas coming out of TED conferences. Here’s a list of top 10 TED talks from the past year, covering everything from astronomy to social justice. See the full list on inc.com.

Everyday Consumer Goods Are De-Produced Into Rectangular Prisms of Raw Materials.

Ever wanted to see your pencil broken down into little rectangles? Well, now you have. The creative design team Studio Drift has produced a series of sculptures breaking down everyday, mundane objects such as lightbulbs and bicycles into their fundamental elements. The project aims to build better awareness around the material costs of the things we use and ultimately dispose of. They are also just neat to look at. See for yourself at thisiscolossal.com.