Wasted food & the wasting of our planet
In the United States, 35% of the food we produce goes unsold or uneaten according to the nonprofit, ReFED. Waste comes at a cost – literally: It’s worth $285B. Said Spoonfuls’ Chief Operating Officer, Lauren Palumbo, “That wasted food also represents wasted opportunity. If we rescued just 30% of all the food we wasted in this country, we could feed everybody facing food insecurity now – but we also can’t stop there because food rescue is an important tool in the fight against climate change.”
We know that when food waste ends up in landfills, it emits methane, which is a powerful greenhouse gas, and that greenhouse gas emissions fuel the climate emergency we’re facing. “Preventing as much food as possible from hitting the landfill is an investment in the health of the planet,” said Palumbo.
If you want to learn more about the impact of wasted food on the environment as well as what simple steps you can take – as an individual, with your family, or in your workplace – to curb your food waste footprint, join us for Food Waste, Food Rescue, & The Future of the Planet, a workshop on the environmental value of food coming this November! Details to follow on Spoonfuls’ website and social.