good morning and welcome to "urban update." i'm byron barnett. on the show ever wonder how many people could be fed with all the food is that thrown out and wasted? we will introduce you to an organization that is doing something about it. and on the show, an author and lecturer at harvard, a professor who explains why he believes lobbyists can actually be good for democracy. and up first, a week long series of events, hubweek, under way. this first of its kind

world changing work, art and thinking being imagined here, with serious of events in restaurants and research labs and venues in roxbury. to the sea port and innovation district and campuses of mit and mgh. u.s. conference of mayors town hall hosted by mayor setti warren of newton. this discussion at roxbury community college will features mayors from across the country discussing what is being done to provide pathways to strength enthe middle class and beyond. we have invited mayor setti warren to the show and also with us, richard wallace, found are of skylab, to have an allture renaissance in roxbury.

second term as mayor of newton, all right. great. first of all, about hubweek, give us your perspective on this whole concept of what it is? >> i think it is a phenomenal concept that henry came up with, to promote the greater boston area and massachusetts is a hub, innovation of education, and a world class leader i'm thrilled to a part of it that the u.s. conference of mayors and colleague trs mayors around the country will be in boston to really promote new thinking and policies to increase economic mobility. >> okay. bridgette wallace, talk to me about skylab and how you are head of that, how do you see their mission fitting in with hubweek? >> that is will collaboration and about sharing of

information, and about bringing people together and part of the mission of sky lab is to work with or overnight entrepreneurship and to connect a community like roxbury to the greater community of boston and how we bring resources and people together so they can explore the responsibilities of becoming an entrepreneur. >> some of the specific topics, and why you think this discussion is so important at this time? >> i think this many, i know chief executives across the country believe that the question of economic mobility and income inequality is the ibm of our time. we know from fr a diet standpoint that wages are not rising as they did many years ago. we also know that technology, globalization has changed our economy. we have to partner with the private sector and non-profit and government sector, come together and that hayes we have

done, put together a policy framework to grow the economy and offer access to people of all backgrounds to the new economy. we have the mayor of louisville and fresno, and profession dns, and other who's will join us at roxbury community college to not only discuss this issue but put forth specific ways that we can invest in people and infrastructure and entrepreneurship and promote the idea that all of us of all different background can earn an income to go out. >> it is interesting that you are trying to tackle this issue on a mayoral level. most people think of, in the middle of a presidential campaign, something that the presidential candidates will be talking about. growing the economy. you know, getting incomes up, and you are attacking this from the standpoint of mayors? >> mayors in cities are the i think the leaders innovation, coming up with solutions to some

of the most difficult problems and i worked in con skrungs with perkins institution in boston college center for research, to put together this policy framework, and i have to tell you when you look around boston, also greater boston area, and my own city, bridgette wallace is an example. the roxbury innovation center is a specific example of how we can grow the economy through entrepreneurship and offer access to people within that community. i commends mayor walsh for embracing the idea that a city can promote economic growth. we are doing it in my city. mass challenge, and cic together, in our city, we use a public asset to do it and make sure kids are a chance to have exposure so thk be a part of this new economic growth. >> bridgette wallace do you hope this sheds more moss tiff light like neighborhoods in roxbury?

>> yes a needed programmer for the bowling building and operating in partnership with the venture day ka fay, we are hoping that the-- venture cafe and we are hoping the discussions that take place during hubweek will be able to be transferable to the folks that that are in roxbury so people can take that information and use that information, so explore possibilities around career opportunities and if they are interested in starting a business, how do you network and begin to make these connections that you need so you can look at your career and your path and opportunities in a different light. >> are you trying to replicate that has been done this cambridge with the startup businesses and so forth, and the sea port area, are you trying to replicate some of that? >> we are attempting to do that.

we want it to be community specific. looking at the demographics of roxbury we understand they are double digit unemployment but we also understand that we also know there is a wealth of talents there and there is, there are people already there that have businesses and we want to help them to go to scale. so we know that in roxbury there is great talents and we juan to expand that opportunity for the folks there. mayor warren, you have another event that you are partnering with, get connect bruce bolling's building if dudley square on the 8th of october. can you tell us about that? >> that is part of our two-day convening and the end of the celebration and an opportunity at the roxbury innovation center to bring the business community

community together,, so we cannot only get to know etch other but to talk about what we can do to promote economic mobility. and bringing together the events, to offer things to people of different means and people with wealth and capital and those who are trying to gain access to grow their besses. she has done a great job, and an opportunity in the nation, to put together this event on the evening at 5:30 to 7-. 3030 at the brus bolling building. and the pitch that you will use to promote the cultural renaissance in roxbury? >> the gee dwraf cal heart of-- roxbury is the geographical heart of boston and there is a lot of cultural events that take place in roxbury.

breadth from roxbury. roxbury, we want to work with the people who are there want to open up roxbury for otherses a well. >> mayor warren, how important is it, the mayors coming into town, that is a pretty big deal. >> it is extraordinary how boston has changed, people of color, are not only here but involved in civic life. and i think it is a fabulous thing for this region for mayorrers around the country and other civic leaders, and the fact that we are leading on issues like check mobility and access to the new economy and economic growth. mayor setti warren of newton, you are not the chairman, you are chairing... >> community development housing.

and bridgette wallace, thank you for coming in and good luck in promoting roxbury. okay. when we come back, the role of lobbyists in the influence that money has on elections, and how it can be a good thing for democracy. the details coming up on "urban update." well, fios is a 100 percent fiber optic network, so you can get 100% out of all your devices. so whatever speed you need, fios has it with the fastest internet and wi-fi available, from 50 to 500 mbps. but the main reason to get fios? we're rated number 1 in customer satisfaction. ultimately, that's why. get 50 meg fios internet, tv & phone starting at $79.99 a month. plus get $300 back with a two year agreement.

as the race heats up for the 2016 elections a strong sentiment is being discussed. americans are questioning the culture of washington. the real of lobbyists and the influence that heavy on elections. on the campaign trail, donald trump and job bush have did you nounsed them and other candidates are demanding changes to the law.

professor and author, mark fagan this could be dangerous to the future of the country. a consideredding to him, lobbying group can form important work and provide policymakers information on key issues. he spells this out in his new book, and new welcome to our studios, author and professor and lectureer on public policy at harvard, mark fagan. thank you for coming in. >> thank you for having me. >> you look at the pros and cons of lobbying, in your new book. and it is called: lobbying law and public policy. everybody hates lobby iftds. >> you are right about that. and as you said in your introduction certainly the political presidential candidates love to bash lobbies. there is a long history of this and it guess on both sides of

the reason is if you are running for office you are running against washington. the emblematic symbol of the negativity in washington is lobbyists. why? they have shot themselves in the foot for a long period of time. we have had some terrible scandals, and there is a sense that lobbyists buy their way into the policy making. i want to turn that around, though. i'm giving you the bad news. >> okay, you talk about the pros in your book? >> yes. exactly. here are several things they bring to the table fenway park first a foremost they provide information for policymakers. if you are a member of congress or the administration, there are literally dozens, hundreds of policy issue you need to be knowledgeable about. how on earth will you get that knowledge?

with everything from energy to immigration to poverty. lobbyists turn out to be a fantastic source of information for policymakers. and in addition to that, lobbyists have a real understanding of how things get done, whether it is on beacon hill, or capitol hill, they understand the process of how the sausage making legislation. that is worth a tremendous amount to especially new members of congress, or the administration. >> one of the points that you make is that in your view lobbying is deeply rooted in democracy. what do you mean by that? >> the opportunities to lobby, the rights to petition your government dates back to the funding of the country. in trying in the first amendment and it isn't going anywhere. since the country was founded we

have had lobbyists, advocates who have put forward what they feel we need to make good policy. >> okay. you also believe there is a cause for concern as the 2016 elections draw near. talk to me what your concern is, about the washing of lobbyists >> that continues the negativity and that negativity can reduce actually the amount of lobbying and advocacy that takes place. and the term advocacy seem to be a much more a trackive way to refer to the same thing. and in that case, i won't as many voices as possible in the debate in the discussion. i fear what this bashing, the voices in particular that can get drowned out are the voices of you, me, social action organizations. they are fearful of being

the scarlet l. >> changes in lebing, what did you think are some of the innovative ideas that have leveled the playing field in your view? >> the biggest one is social media. in past, you or i had an issue you wanted to try and address, your ability to find like minded people was limited. and you might talk to neighbors or go to a school meeting, with session media i can almost instand taken quously find people with the same issues that i have and i can find them and communicate in a very effective and cost effectively with washington or beacon hill. >> and how do you respond to the critics that money plays too large a role in the lobbying, and in elections? >> certainly, in elections i would agree with you.

no question, we are spending a tremendous amount of resources. i will leaf that for someone else. >> how do you get around that criticism, whoever has the most money, has the most influence. >> great point. here on issues that are important to you, and me, and the general public, the number of voices and the different perspectives they bring is tremendous. in fact, one example, when we data forwardable care act, there were-- when we did the affordable care act. you had a laj trade group, advocating for increasing prescription opportunities. and you had hospitals and insurance companies, advocating the opposite. you had airp in its 30 million people advocating for seniors right. and it's a big issues, and you have the voices that you need.

accessbility and lift up ethics throughout the lobbying industries? >> there i have some proposals, how well they will be accepted i'm in the sure. in terms of ethics it seals me in addition to having an ethics statement that a trade group has, it should be something that is enforceable. not unlike the american bar association, and how they deal with lawyers. start. and another option, a little more challenging but maybe ultimately the most effective, is to try and separate campaign finance from lobbying itself. very hard road to hoe though giving the supreme court's view on campaign finance. >> what is your book for, who is your audience, lobbyists or regular people, politicians, ones who will be lobbied? >> i think for all of those people. lebing is one of those things

majors in it and not very many textbooks either. my intent was to create a hands book that you or i or a lobbyist could take and use to better understand the industry and most importantly how you and i could have a voice in washington. >> how do you think an average person when they watch the debates and cable shows, all this information coming in, how is an average person, a lay person, to really sort of evaluate what they are hearing, from lobbyists and know what to believe and in the to believe? >> for the average person, it's hard because it is unambiguous, and the public sphere has spinned. but i'm less concerned about that because the person i really worry about and want to make sure that they get the right picture is the policymaker themgss. when i have spoken to people,

what they say is that mark, if i am smart enough to figure out how to get elected to be senator i can understand the people who walk this my door all have a perspective. my job, i havial-add is to take them and evaluate well and do what i think is right for my constituents and my own conscience. >> do you teach claeses on this? >> die teach a class. >> what is the main thing you try to get across to students? >> the number one thing i want them to understand is you can have a voice, but have you to understand how you can communicate. you have to be crisp, to the point and you have to know who to talk to. >> sounds like good advice to me. professor mark fagan, harvard university and the title is lobbying, business law and public policy. thank you for coming in. and we'll see you hopefully some

of the folks who are running for president, we have a big group, we will take some of your advice. >> terrific. thank you. >> an organization dedicated to rescuing fresh food, that might otherwise go to waste. all the details here on "urban

did you know that 40% of all food produced in the united states guess to waste? through a combination of food rescue and farming and transportation services, the organization food for free, rescues fresh food that might otherwise go to west and distributes it within the local

kmrg food system where it can reach those in need. according to food for free, by reducing food losses by 1% would make it possible to feed 25 million americans every year. to tell us about the funds raising party, under the noon harvest, sasha purpura is here with us this morning. welcome to "urban update" and thank you for coming in. tell us more about food for free's mission, and how you go about carrying it out? >> food for free, one of the oldest food rescue organizations in the nation is about addressing hunger and what is interesting about that in the united states is it is in the necessarily a lack of access to food and calories it is a lack of access to nutrition. it is about how you get healthy food to the folks in need. if you look at the flip side of the coin we are throwing away

>> that is an amazing stat. imagine buying ten heirloom tomatoes and throwing four out perform you maked salad. a lot of food thrown out is produce. food for free the main way we address hunger has been solving this other problem, which is food waste and that is a problem not only because food is precious, right, no one wants to see it waste but there are environmental challenges. >> speaking of the environment, talk to me about how there is an environmental aspect to this. >> it is in the just about feeding people, food waste is a major problem in terms of climb change. when food guess to landfills it creates methane gas, and it is about 25 times as potent at co2 this terms of a greenhouse gas. if you took all the food waste it would be the third largest

u.s. and china. and preventing it from going to landfills is critical at this point. talk to me about the structure of the organization, how you get from point a to point b, do you collect food that is about to be thrown out? >> we do. we find a lot of strong partners, trader joe's and boston university and we have three trucks and go to several drivers and these are builts on relationships. our drivers know our food donors and they have a schedule where they stop by the different stores in the morning and stores have providered the food that they are taking off the shelves and this is healthy fresh food, not rotting food. this is lettuce that might be already two or three days old and has three or three days left, but very healthy. they have prepped it for us and they put it in the truck and take to it whomever needs it. primarily dealing through other oceans, whether it is a food

how can a local restaurant participate if they wanted to or a store, or think one? >> one important thing, that stops a last food done ores is concerns obviously built, and a good samaritan protects them from liability. all they need to do is reach out and talk to food for free or another food rescue organization. we set up a schedule to collect the food and ways to keep it safe while it is waiting for us in our own transport and assuming they have enough food for it to make it as soon asible for us, we start to pick it up a distribute it to people who take it home that night. >> we want to ask you about the annual fund raising party under the harvest moon, what is going on that night and how can people get involved? >> people can get tickets, it is a great event, our 11th or 12th year.

local restaurants that donate the food and people donate wine and beer and music, a beautiful silent auction where you can win food items or vacation homes and a great way to meet people who care about hunger in our community and food in our community and who like to dance and eat and have a good time. what about the massachusetts food waste band, what is that all about? october of last raer massachusetts implemented the moss progressive of its type. we are running out of landfill, and food is 25% of the waist stream and that is extreme. and in massachusetts, we have implemented a ban that says if an organization disposes of more than one ton offer organic waste they will be fined and the state has spent the last several months trying to help organizations come up to speed with that. food for free is hoping rather

let's get the ed i will parts to people. >> it is hard to get stores and restaurants participating. you have to put it in this box and that box? >> whole foods and trader joe's, they love it and employees love it. but there are people that are trying to run a business and i staunds stand they are busy but it is in the has hard as it sounds. >> very quickly, what would you like the stores and all these restaurants to know. a quick ten-second pitch? >> it is in the difficult. call food for free and call us and we will walk you through the steps. sasha purpura, good luck on distributing that food to the people who need it. >> thank you. that is it for this edition of "urban update." enjoy the day. and for everyone at "urban update" i'm byron barnett. have a gate day everyone.