Reducing Food Waste
80 billion pounds of food is thrown away every year in the US.
That equates to more than $161 billion and accounts for 30-40% of the US food supply. On average, each family throws away $1,600 of just produce every year.
Most of this food is sent to landfills. Food is the single largest component taking up space inside US landfills - it makes up approximately 22% of municipal solid waste.
Whether we’re throwing away food because it’s gone bad, we think it’s gone bad, or we’re simply not interested in our leftovers… the size of this problem is massive. One simple solution to tackle this problem is to consider composting.
Composting, or the process of decomposition of food and other organic waste with the addition of oxygen, can be accomplished by humans, machinery, worms, and other composting bugs. There are many different kinds and scales of composting - some can be done at home while others are done in industrial facilities. Now, before you go out and dig up some earthworms to toss into your trash bin, check out this week’s episode of Do What You Can For The People.
Allie Gumas, the Organics Outreach Coordinator at NYC Department of Sanitation and a fellow Bard alum with a Masters in Environmental Policy, joins me to talk about why food waste is such a big problem and what we can do to reduce it. We chat about the different types of composting, how to get started, and what to watch out for as composting and compostable materials gain more traction.
THINGS MENTIONED
Food waste in America: https://www.rts.com/resources/guides/food-waste-america/
Food insecurity: https://hungerandhealth.feedingamerica.org/understand-food-insecurity/
Food labeling issues: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/how-confusing-labels-contribute-to-our-food-waste-problem
Underutilizing leftovers: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/10/31/why-americans-have-stopped-eating-leftovers/
Composting explained: https://www.greenmatters.com/food/2018/12/07/ZboPlt/what-is-composting
Vermicomposting: https://learn.eartheasy.com/articles/worm-composting-basics-for-beginners/
Using compost in your garden: https://www.gardeningchannel.com/compost-vs-soil-differences/
BPI certified compostables: https://www.organixsolutions.com/content/what-does-bpi%C2%AE-certified-mean#:~:text=BPI%C2%AE%20is%20short%20for,specifications%20required%20to%20be%20compostable.
Home vs. industrial composting: https://www.biopak.com.au/blog/composting-and-recycling/what-is-the-difference-between-home-and-industrial-composting#:~:text=Industrial%20composting%20can%20sustain%20the,%2C%20leaves%2C%20and%20tea%20bags.
Aerobic vs. anaerobic composting: https://www.powerknot.com/2012/07/23/aerobic-composting-vs-anaerobic-composting/
Problems with compostable plastics: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20191030-why-biodegradables-wont-solve-the-plastic-crisis
Greenwash risk of compostable plastics: https://upcyclesantafe.org/2019/02/22/have-you-been-green-washed/
Black soldier farm composting: https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=27407#:~:text=The%20frass%20that%20black%20soldier,pulverized%20and%20used%20as%20fertilizer.
Food waste policy: https://www.ncsl.org/research/agriculture-and-rural-development/fighting-food-waste.aspx
Front of house organic collection: https://www.biocycle.net/front-house-organics-collection/
Compost enforcement in NYC: https://www.ediblemanhattan.com/foodshed-2/mandatory-composting/
Food waste in schools: https://www.educationdive.com/news/report-nations-school-food-waste-may-be-as-much-as-530k-tons-annually/568599/
GET IN TOUCH WITH ALLIE GUMAS
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