Talking Trash

Would you like to add $1,500 to your annual income? Each year, the average family of four loses that much in uneaten food. I’m not sure about you, but lately I walk into a grocery store and instantly spend $100. Wasting anything, especially money, really irks me. Some call it frugal; I am fully aware that it is just plain cheap – and I’m okay with that. But food waste is not new; it accounts for $161 billion dollars a year in the US. The silver lining in Oscar’s trash can is that reducing food waste at home is actually not all that difficult, everyone can do something. This month we are talking trash with KayLeigh Raville, Supervising Public Health Educator at CCHD. KayLeigh is a Registered Dietitian and oversees our Eat Smart, Waste Less program, aimed at reducing food waste and increasing access to organics recycling opportunities in Clinton County.

KayLeigh, when we say food waste, what do we mean? Like the scraps from my plate after dinner? Because I usually give those to the dog.

Food waste is any food that is grown and produced for human consumption but ultimately, for whatever reason, doesn’t get eaten. Now food waste isn’t just the end product. Food can be lost or wasted anywhere along the supply chain – from the farm where it is grown, to the store where we buy it and so on. You probably don’t realize how much food you are actually throwing away every day – from uneaten leftovers to our forgotten about friends in the back of the fridge. You can also waste food at home by not meal planning properly, not preparing correctly or not storing foods in the right places.

You know I love a bargain and saving money, but I also don’t have the time or energy to make my life revolve around food waste. At some point you pay for your sanity right?

One of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to reduce food waste is to start at home. Making a few small changes in our daily habits can make a big difference for the environment and our wallets.

Here are some tips to become a food waste warrior at home: 

1. Plan weekly, with meals in mind.
2. Shop your kitchen first to see what you already have on hand before you head to the store so you can purchase with a purpose.
3. Make a grocery list and stick to it. For me this means leaving my husband and kids at home; our grocery bill doubles any time they step foot in the store!

That actually doesn’t seem that bad; I can handle those changes. Once I buy the food, is there a way I can keep it fresh longer?

There sure is! Taking a little extra time when you get home from the grocery store can preserve freshness and make hectic weeknight dinners a breeze. 

1. Cutting, dicing, slicing and chopping produce now will save time later. I know that my family is more apt to eat fruits and veggies if they are washed, cut and ready to enjoy!
2. Becoming familiar with where food should be stored can also help preserve freshness – for example: some fruits and vegetables belong in the refrigerator and some don’t. Check out Save the Food’s Store It interactive storage guide to learn how you can keep your food fresh for as long as possible.

If saving money doesn’t speak to you, maybe saving the environment does.

Food waste that ends up in the trash produces a large amount of methane – a more powerful greenhouse gas than even CO2. This significantly contributes to global warming and climate change. Whether we waste less or are more responsible with our scraps (or both!), that’s good for the environment.

Alright, so it seems I can be an excellent food waste warrior and still have some scraps. What do you mean when you say “be responsible with our scraps”?

Despite our best efforts, we will still have those unavoidable banana peels, egg shells and autumn leaves, but we don’t have to throw them in the trash. We can repurpose them! Now, before you stop me with your concerns about the effort involved, hear me out. It’s a lot easier than you think.

1. Check your cabinets often. Excess, edible food that you won’t be able to eat could be donated to a family in need. For a full list of Clinton County Food Pantries click here.
2. For households with gardens, backyard tumblers or compost bins may be a good fit. For information on different types of composting click here.
3. If you won’t use compost but are still passionate about not throwing food waste in the trash, find a local food scraps drop off site or opt for a green cone solar digester.

I have seen CCHD advertising these “green cones”. What are they and would it work for my family?

Green Cone solar digesters provide a low-maintenance, space sensitive alternative to traditional food scraps recycling options, like composting. The solar-heated “cone” safely eliminates cooked and uncooked food waste, including items your backyard composter can’t handle (like meat, fish, bones, and dairy products). The unit breaks down food waste into nutrients that soak into and nourish the surrounding ground, rather than producing compost. There may be a little seasonal maintenance, but its much more of a “set it and forget it” kind of approach to composting.

CCHD has teamed up with the Clinton County Landfill to offer Green Cone solar digesters to residents at a reduced cost of $50 at the Schuyler Falls Convenience Station, 404 Sand Road, Morrisonville, NY 12962. That’s a savings over $200! Convenience station hours are: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 9am – 4pm and Wednesdays and Fridays from 12pm to 4pm. Cash or personal checks are accepted for payment.

For more information on green cone solar digesters click here.

Top 3 things to remember.

1. Reducing food waste is good for your wallet and the environment.
2. Small changes at home can make a big difference and we can all do something to reduce the amount of food we waste.
3. There are lots of different ways to repurpose unavoidable food waste.