Food Waste

April 26, 2019

Let's talk FOOD WASTE. Food waste is a very real, large problem in the United States. To give you an idea of how large this problem is, there are about 1.3 BILLION tons of food wasted in the US each year. 40% of our nations food supply goes to waste and about 90% of food goes into landfills (Move for Hunger, n.d.)!
Move for Hunger addresses the environmental cost this has on our world. A recent study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research found that over 20% of all greenhouse gas emissions are produced by agricultural activities (Move for Hunger, n.d.). This number is high, yet a lot of the food produced from agriculture is going right into the trash. Food in landfills releases methane as it breaks down, which is significantly more harmful than carbon dioxide (Move for Hunger, n.d.). 
As a nation, we can make a change! All it takes is for all of us to try harder to be more mindful of the ways to make a difference on the issue of food waste.
Here are a few ways YOU can make a change:
1.) Start a compost pile! Composting reduces the food waste in landfills, which is great for the environment. Compost piles also produce great soil that you can use for your own garden. Here are some ways to start a compost pile!
2.) Buy just what you need! Don't go crazy at the store buying more food than you can eat. Try buying frozen fruits and veggies if you find yourself having to throw out produce that has gone bad. 
3.) Shop local! Buying from local farmers creates less time/travel between farm and table. Less transportation means less pollution to our environment. Also, supporting your own community rocks! Randy's Pickles uses local cucumbers for our product.
4.) Use all of what you have. We love posting recipes that use our brine, so that you don't have to waste anything from your jar. Check out our recipes and try one out! Also, be sure to recycle or save your jars.
We hope this information inspires you to make a few small changes. Everything counts! [:
References
Move For Hunger. (n.d.). About Food Waste. Retrieved from https://www.moveforhunger.org/about-food-waste/