Food Waste Prevention Tools - Save food and $$

According to the US EPA, 33 million tons of food waste was discarded in 2010 in this country, making it the single largest component of solid waste reaching landfills and incinerators. The waste of food has economic and social impacts as well as environmental ones. Among other consequences is the generation of methane, a significant green house gas, which occurs when food decomposes in landfills.

A new report by the Natural Resources Defense Council titled “Wasted: How America is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm” asserts that the equivalent of 20 lbs. per person per month of uneaten food is discarded in the US. In addition to the food loss itself, there are huge amounts of chemicals, energy, water, land, and money ($165 billion/year) used in the production, processing, and distribution of this food that are consequently lost if the food is not consumed. And while composting helps to reduce the final waste stream, it does not decrease these “upstream” resource inputs.

With the help of an MPCA Environmental Assistance grant, Eureka Recycling has developed informative new online tools to help consumers minimize or prevent food waste. The resources, available at www.makedirtnotwaste.org/prevent-wasted-food, include food storage tips for a wide variety of food types (including produce, meat, oils, herbs, and nuts, among others). Practical and instructional meal planning information specifically designed to counteract food wastage (and indirectly save time and money!) is included as well.

Another tool developed by the West Coast Climate and Materials Management Forum, an EPA-led partnership of western cities and states, serves as a resource for state and local governments and/or community groups and is currently undergoing nationwide piloting. Designed as a community-based social marketing campaign, the Food: Too Good to Waste pilot toolkit includes an implementation guide, behavior change tools (including a workshop presentation, shopping template, and poster), measurement tools, and a research report. Plans are to revise the toolkit based on pilot results.

Local governments and community organizations in Minnesota with an interest in participating in the pilot phase of the toolkit can contact Madalyn Cioci, MPCA, Madalyn.Cioci@state.mn.us, for more information.