It might not have the catchy name of World Homeopathy Awareness Week, which is this week — a fact we were not aware of until we asked Google what week this is. And it might not raise as many questions as National Ex-Spouse Day, which apparently is today. But the designation of Food Waste Prevention Week, which continues through Sunday, warrants a mention.
The mission, according to organizers, is “to educate and inspire real cultural change around food waste in order to help families save money, reduce the negative impact of food waste on the environment, and address hunger in our communities.”
Sounds laudable. So the state Department of Ecology is emphasizing a desire to reduce food waste this week — and beyond.
“Preventing food waste is an action we can all take to address climate change,” said Laurie Davies, the department’s solid waste program manager. “Using food well is good for people and the planet. Food Waste Prevention Week is a reminder that each of us can take small steps and make a big difference.”
According to officials, Washington residents generate approximately 1.2 million tons of food waste a year — more than 300 pounds per person. According to Feeding America, the national total is more than 59 million tons of food waste. Those totals include excess or spoiled produce, meats, dairy, nuts, seeds and grains, plus unusable bits such as shells or bones.
We wouldn’t recommend eating, say, chicken bones in an effort to reduce your food waste (and don’t feed them to your pets; chicken bones can splinter when chewed by animals). But there are things the typical household can do to reduce its contribution to landfills.
One is to save and eat leftovers. The Mayo Clinic Health System recommends: “Find ways to use rather than toss food that isn’t fresh. Vegetable scraps and peels can be made into soup stock. Apples or blueberries that are soft work perfectly cooked in oatmeal. You can even use stale bread to make croutons or an egg strata.”
Another is to create a meal plan before shopping. This can prevent overbuying and allow you to coordinate your ingredients for a week of meals.
Perhaps most important is backyard composting, where you can toss eggshells, vegetable peels and other organic material. This prevents them from winding up in a landfill and produces nutrient-rich soil for your plants.
In addition to the food itself, pay attention to the packaging and try to limit the purchase of containers that will quickly fill up the garbage. Excessive packaging doesn’t count as food waste, but it also represents a place where households can make a difference.
While limiting food waste can be economical and lead to healthier eating and reduced waste, it also can combat climate change. As the U.S. Department of Agriculture writes: “Production, transportation, and handling of food generate significant carbon dioxide emissions and when food ends up in landfills, it generates methane, an even more potent greenhouse gas.”
The organizers of Food Waste Prevention Week write: “Methane is 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide, making it more damaging to the environment. If we reduce food waste, we could save the environment from this damage.”
There are numerous benefits to reducing food waste. Conscientious efforts can be helpful in financial, health and environmental terms, and they can be turned into a fun family project. Because the second week in April is not just for homeopathy awareness.
