Waste Not This Earth Day

Nearly 40% of food is wasted in the US, by way of going unsold in markets, uneaten in the home, or unused in restaurants. Farmers tend to over produce as a form of mitigating risk of loss. Misshapen or blemished foods are often discarded before even leaving the farm, knowing buyers will deem them unfit for sale or purchase. Wasted food means wasted resources used for growing it, like water and fuel. It also adds to carbon emissions from decaying food in landfills. 

There are so many ways to reduce food waste at home. Start with planning before shopping. Consider the week ahead, how many meals you’ll need to make, then plan the menu, and check your inventory before heading to the store so you don’t over buy. Planning ahead minimizes overstock ingredients and spoilage. 

Take note of what food items you’re throwing out. So much food ends up in the trash that can be repurposed, and that doesn't just mean composting. Veggie scraps, like onion skins, carrot peels, celery tops, cabbage cores can be frozen and turned into a flavorful veggie stock. Wilted greens and overripe fruit can also be stored in the freezer before they go bad and later used for smoothies.

While I said compost is not the only way to minimize food waste, it is a great option if it’s available to you. In NYC, we can use food scrap drop-off sites at their designated time and location - this is the only option that actually yields compost. Alternatively, NYC’s curbside composting program picks up food scraps from residential buildings or scraps can be dropped off at the orange Smart Composting bins around the city using an app. These programs turn food scraps into biofuel. 

The first step to cutting down on food waste is to notice what’s being wasted. Start there and create manageable goals to get started. Small steps taken consistently can create big change.