Fighting Food Waste At Home
Did you know that 43 percent of all food waste generated in the United States comes from Americans homes, or that 22 percent of all landfill waste is food waste? That means that each person generates about 219 pounds of food waste think of it as 650 apples. What's worse is the amount of waste generated it totally preventable.
The US EPA developed the food recovery hierarchy as a multi-tiered system to prioritize and divert food waste. The top of the hierarchy is the most preferred which is source reduction and the least preferred is incinerations or landfill
Source Reduction is the most preferred. Ways to do this is to buy only what you need, avoid impulse buys, incorporate composting into your food prep, freeze leftovers. Feeding the hungry is another great way to divert food waste scraps from landfills. Clean your fridge, and declutter the cabinets and pantry with prepackaged foods and donate them to local pantry. Have a garden? Share your bounty with neighbors and friends. Did you know that diverting food scraps can also help farmers feed animals? Some states have requirements around what you can and can't donate. Contact your local agricultural extension to learn more on how and where to donate for animals. Composting at home is a great way to divert food waste scraps. What can you compost and what shouldn't be composting:
Now that we've covered that let's discuss what you can do within your home and kitchen today to make changes to become a food waste warrior.
Don't delay make these changes today to reduce you and your family's contribution to the food waste problem.