There are many reasons for not wasting food. In 2009 in the US we wasted more than one quarter of the food available for consumption. It mostly ended up in landfills creating methane emissions. And did you know that methane traps 25 times more heat per molecule than CO2, thereby contributing that much more to global warming? According to the EPA, food waste is now the largest component of municipal solid waste. What can you do?
Compost!
You place your food waste in a bin and let it magically turn itself into rich soil. Unlike the anaerobic process of decomposition in a landfill, composting is aerobic — it uses oxygen and doesn’t release methane. You don’t have to be a gardener either; anyone can do it. It’s the best strategy we have for keeping food out of the waste stream. If this is new to you, here is a helpful link to get you started: Composting for Dummies. Have fun!
