Earth Day is an annual celebration that highlights the environment and brings awareness to the importance of preserving nature. This day has become increasingly important in the past decade as the earth becomes more populated and industrialization is on the rise. Development of life on earth has introduced a variety of pollutants to the environment and altered parts of the world’s ecosystem. One of these many wastes originate from food and is commonly known as food waste.
Sources of Food Waste
According to the USDA, an estimated 30 to 40 percent of the food supply ends up as food waste in the United States. Food waste can originate under many different conditions. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Foods becoming expired or spoiled
- Uneaten leftovers
- Foods lost during production
- Edible foods being thrown away
- Discarded vegetable and fruit parts that can be eaten or repurposed
- Trimming meat inefficiently
- Poor portion control (especially in the restaurant setting)
- Lack of understanding of food labels and dates
- Inefficient cooking methods
- Not using shopping lists at the grocery store or meal planning
Combating Food Waste
Many people may not realize how much food they contribute to food waste every day. These wastes lead to environmental consequences like greenhouse gas emissions, the endangerment and extinction of different organisms, and overflowing landfills.
There are many ways people can reduce their food waste at home. The list below includes several options for reducing food waste.
- Sort waste correctly and recycle. Create categories and separate wastes accordingly. Wastes can be sorted into recyclables (i.e. paper, plastic, metal or glass), landfill waste and organic (i.e. food scraps and landscaping wastes). Recyclables will have the How2Recycle label (the three arrows forming a triangle-like shape).
- Properly dispose of hazardous materials. In the context of health, this involves biohazards like expired medications, used sharps (i.e. needles), body fluids, and contaminated first-aid items.
- Reuse materials in their original form instead of throwing them out. Reuse a purchased container of food by washing and storing another food in it when the original product runs out.
- Make composts out of food wastes. Purchase or create a compost bin by finding a container with a lid nearby. Put some soil in the bin and start tossing items in to compost like coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable scraps, and even cardboard or dried leaves. Items in the bin need to be turned regularly to incorporate air into the mixture so moisture levels will decrease; This is important in the decomposition process.
- Keep an eye on expiration dates when food shopping and while at home. Make sure to check expiration dates before purchasing items to ensure they will be used before the ‘Best by’ date. Also, follow the ‘First in, first out’ (FIFO) method in the pantry and fridge at home, so older groceries will be used before newly purchased ones.
- Make sure to store foods properly. Fruits and vegetables should be stored separately in the refrigerator. Foods like potatoes and breads should be stored in cool, dark places.
- Save and freeze leftover vegetable scraps in a bag. Continue to add to it over time. When it is full, use it to make vegetable broth. Do the same with leftover chicken and beef trimmings and bones. This can be used to make either chicken or beef broth to add extra protein to meals.
- Plan meals in advance to minimize spoiled foods. Planning ahead can help reduce losses of produce, dairy, poultry, beef, and other meat products.
- Freeze leftover meals. This can include soups, pasta, and casseroles so they can be saved to eat another week.
- Try buying and using non-perishable (shelf-stable) food items. These are an easy addition to meal plans that can be used another time when lunch or dinner plans fall through.
- Ditch plastic water bottles. Choose to use reusable water bottles when possible.
Start Today
There are many avenues to explore when attempting to reduce food waste. Start by picking just one or two of the items above to focus on at home today—even if it means freezing leftovers from dinner. All efforts are a positive step toward limiting food waste. Incorporating these anti-food waste approaches into a daily routine overtime will lead to the development of positive habits. As humans learn more about conservation, many of these approaches have the potential to make a difference if they become habits people follow when handling food.
Media Release/Taylor Bonn and Tera Glenn/Alabama Extension
