This week NPR ran a story about a food sharing website in Germany. People with extra food (grown, prepared or purchased) are matched with people who need food in their neighborhood.

Here in the US there are other kinds of sharing sites, like ride sharing and house sharing.

Based on some of the problems I’m hearing about with Lyft.com and AirBnB, I can only imagine what might happen with a food sharing site here in America.

Here are four things that would probably happen in the first month of operation.

1. The IRS would hate it.

2. Ms. Jones would be happy to file a lawsuit if Mrs. Smith’s tuna casserole were a bit off.

3. People would worry that some sicko would use it as a way to randomly poison someone.

4. Health officials would shut the site down immediately, having no way to certify the safety of the shared food.

I love that the internet makes so much possible.

I love that people find creative ways to help each other in difficult times.

Food sharing is an amazing way to combat waste and hunger. I hope it works well in Germany.

I also hope I’m completely wrong, and that a food sharing site could and will work here in the United States. It’s a brilliant idea. Why waste food when you can share?