WSU Clallam County Extension and its Waste Prevention Program celebrate Food Waste Prevention Week 2023 from April 10-16, in recognition of the need to end food loss and waste at home, at work and in the community at large.
Across the nation, up to 35 percent of all food produced goes uneaten. Ending food waste and loss requires purposeful action at all levels of the food system — from growers and producers to retailers and restaurants, to individuals at home.
From April 10-16, Food Waste Prevention Week will be celebrated across the nation — and even internationally — with engaging activities, education and resource-sharing to raise awareness and inspire everyone to reduce waste at home, at work and in our communities.
Why reducing food waste matters:
• Improves food security — safe and nutritious food that is currently thrown away could help feed hungry community members.
• Reduce emissions — divert methane-producing rotting food into compost systems to build healthy soils andrevent greenhouse gas pollution.
• Saves money — a family of four can save an average of $1800 per year that’s wasted when food goes uneaten.
• Conserves resources — valuable land, water, energy and labor resources are used to grow, package and transport food.
On the local level, reducing food waste is significant for the health and well-being of our community.
In Clallam County, 14 percent of all residents — and one in four Clallam children — are food-insecure, meaning they do not know where or how they will get their next meal.
And yet, 6 percent of the entire solid waste stream in Clallam County is edible food, and another 6 percent is inedible food and scraps. Allowing this much food waste to end up in the landfill wastes money, labor and resources, and creates environmental impacts that undermine the health of our neighbors and our beautiful natural surroundings.
The socio-economic and environmental impacts of food waste are staggering — and entirely avoidable! As outlined nthe 2021 Solid Waste Management Plan, Clallam County is aiming to reduce organics waste (food and yard waste, and any other organic and biodegradable materials) to below 10 percent of the total waste stream by 2025, compared with our current rate of 22 percent. With your help, and with creative collaboration, community education, technical assistance, smart policy and an expansion of resources, our community can come together and eliminate food waste, all while supporting our most vulnerable neighbors and cherishing our bountiful natural resources on the North Olympic Peninsula.
WSU Clallam County Extension is joining these many local and national stakeholders and agencies in a collaborative effort and shared commitment to reduce food loss and waste, and they invite the community to join in.
The Extension office will be celebrating Food Waste Prevention week with a suite of events across different areas of the community to educate and inspire action against food waste.
• Classes a bth Franklin and Jefferson elementary schools in Port Angeles will have classroom and school garden activities and lessons around composting, soil science and food waste prevention. Furthermore, one class will be taking a field trip to nearby SisterLand Farms to explore food waste and composting along with Welly’s Ice Cream.
• On Wednesday April 12, WSU Extension Food Waste Coordinator Benji Astrachan will be at the Port Angeles Food Bank with a recipe demonstration of local food blogger Vegetafull’s kitchen scraps vegetable stock, to educate on thrifty ways to make healthy foods and prevent waste.
• For the general public, anyone can come pick up a gallon bag of free biochar garden soil amendment along with informational resources on application and benefits in home gardens and compost piles at the WSU Clallam Extension office all week long from Monday to Thursday, April 10-13.
• Visit the Extension’s table at the Port Angeles Farmers Market from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday April 15 tochat all things food waste with Benji Astrachan, and pick up more information and resources.
• Finally, both the Port Angeles City Council and the Clallam County Board of Commissioners will be proclaiming April 10-16 to be Food Waste Prevention Week, in alignment with local goals for waste reduction.
