Guest column: Use oyster shells and other wastes to help the coast

Food waste is the bane of restaurant kitchens. Waste directly impacts the financial bottom line, and chefs have long used creative methods to utilize as much of a plant or animal as possible in meal preparation — think of using shrimp shells for seafood stock, or how authentic tamales are cooked in cornhusks.

It’s time for Louisiana to take ideas and best practices from our talented chefs and employ them in creative ways to tackle some of our state’s most pressing issues. Take the oyster shell for instance. When collected, the shells can be returned to their coastal brackish water homes, used to rebuild oyster reefs, and aid in coastal restoration.

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