In today’s society, many think of food as a disposable supply rather than a vital resource to live. Consequently, the largest source of waste in landfills is discarded food. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 35 million tons of food is thrown away each year. These food scraps rot in landfills and produce a dangerous amount of methane along with other potent greenhouse gases. By preventing overproduction and diverting unused produce, we can significantly cut the amount of food waste in our nation’s landfills.
The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act was passed in 1996, which protects businesses from liability and encourages donation of food and grocery products to non-profit organizations. By recovering foods that have not been sold and repurposing it, we can feed the 50 million Americans who do not have access to enough food. Supermarkets, hospitals, colleges, stadiums and venues can donate safe and healthy food to a food bank or food rescue organization. In addition to helping those in need, organizations can often claim tax benefits or be reimbursed for their donations.
Eighty-five percent of what goes into landfills is compostable. Composting can turn food waste into a valuable soil supplement. In October 2014, Massachusetts implemented a statewide commercial food waste disposal ban. This ban requires businesses and institutions to ship remaining food waste to an anaerobic digestion facility. Anaerobic digestion deposits organic wastes into an enclosed chamber where microbes break down material, producing energy-creating biogas. Biogas can produce both electricity and heat simultaneously and can be converted to natural gas used to fuel vehicles.
Bottom Line: We can all play a role in preventing food waste before it is created. The average American household throws away 15 to 25 percent of their groceries. To help reduce your carbon footprint, plan out what you will eat, make a shopping list and stick to it, use what you buy, and eat your older food first. Many communities now have composting collection sites where families can drop off their food waste from the past week. Using prevention and diversion strategies, such as composting and anaerobic digestion facilities, can make a huge difference for our country financially and environmentally.
The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act was passed in 1996, which protects businesses from liability and encourages donation of food and grocery products to non-profit organizations. By recovering foods that have not been sold and repurposing it, we can feed the 50 million Americans who do not have access to enough food. Supermarkets, hospitals, colleges, stadiums and venues can donate safe and healthy food to a food bank or food rescue organization. In addition to helping those in need, organizations can often claim tax benefits or be reimbursed for their donations.
Eighty-five percent of what goes into landfills is compostable. Composting can turn food waste into a valuable soil supplement. In October 2014, Massachusetts implemented a statewide commercial food waste disposal ban. This ban requires businesses and institutions to ship remaining food waste to an anaerobic digestion facility. Anaerobic digestion deposits organic wastes into an enclosed chamber where microbes break down material, producing energy-creating biogas. Biogas can produce both electricity and heat simultaneously and can be converted to natural gas used to fuel vehicles.
Bottom Line: We can all play a role in preventing food waste before it is created. The average American household throws away 15 to 25 percent of their groceries. To help reduce your carbon footprint, plan out what you will eat, make a shopping list and stick to it, use what you buy, and eat your older food first. Many communities now have composting collection sites where families can drop off their food waste from the past week. Using prevention and diversion strategies, such as composting and anaerobic digestion facilities, can make a huge difference for our country financially and environmentally.
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