Zero Waste Gainesville is kicking off a Food Waste Reduction and Composting Campaign. We are asking the City of Gainesville and Alachua County to create a program that addresses these three components:
Connect edible food to those who need it in our community
Education and outreach on food waste prevention and the importance of composting
Composting infrastructure and programs across sectors (i.e. organics collection for single-family residents, multi-family residents, businesses, and institutions)
We need your help to advocate for the city and county to adopt this program and to raise awareness of the problem of food waste. Below is a template letter to send to Commissioners supporting this initiative. We also have a lot of great resources to learn how to address food waste and get composting - so check them out!
City and County Commissioner Letter
Send your City and County Commissioners a letter to show your support for the program. Check out our easy to complete letter!
WHY IS REDUCING FOOD WASTE SO IMPORTANT?
a few facts:
FOOD WASTE INFORMATION SHEET
Food Waste is a big deal because when food is wasted all of the resources that went into making that food is wasted, (i.e. land, water, energy, and human labor).
According to the USDA, 30-40% of the food supply is wasted. In 2018, that food waste equaled 63 million tons.
So much food is wasted, while millions of Americans face food insecurity (10% of American’s faced food insecurity in 2019).
Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG): food decomposing in landfills create methane, a GHG 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Landfills are the 3rd largest contributor of methane in the US.
Food waste takes up landfill space - food waste was the largest component of landfills at 24% in 2018.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO?
Take the Pledge!
Commit to reducing food waste in your life and compost the rest!
LEARN HOW TO PREVENT FOOD WASTE AT HOME
Click on images below to expand
GET COMPOSTING
Curious about composting? View the slides below to learn how to get started (Select ‘Enter Full Screen’ in the bottom panel of the slide to expand. Mobile users please rotate screen for optimum viewing).
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
Our community is filled with amazing organizations dedicated to reducing food waste and connecting food to the people who need it. Check them out! (Select ‘Enter Full Screen’ in the bottom panel of the slide to expand. Mobile users please rotate screen for optimum viewing).