In 2022, the U.S. department of Agriculture stated: “Food loss and waste … exacerbates the climate change crisis with its significant GHG footprint. Production, transportation, and handling of food generate significant carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and when food ends up in landfills, it generates methane, [which is] an even more potent greenhouse gas.”
A 2021 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report concluded that “each year, U.S. food loss and waste embodies 170 million metric tons of carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions– equal to the annual CO2 emissions of 42 coal-fired power plants.” This doesn’t even take landfill methane into account.
To learn more about food waste and what we can do to address it, join Southern Oregon Climate Action Now (SOCAN) at their March 28th General Meeting online from 6:00 to 7:00pm. This month’s topic is “Food Waste and the Climate Crisis: What to Know & What to Do” with featured speakers Flavia Franco of Southern Oregon Food Solutions, Jeanette Hardison of the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition, and Ellie Cosgrove of Rogue Valley Farm 2 School.
There is no charge for joining the ZOOM meeting, but participants must register at the link on the SOCAN calendar event: socan.eco/food-waste.
One response to the food waste problem is that April 10 – 16 has been designated as ‘Food Waste Prevention Week’ nationwide, in order to raise awareness and to engage with folks about solutions. Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality is a Sponsor of this campaign.