Dec 18 - Cupertino Recognized For Reducing Food Waste
After its extensive three year effort to reduce the amount of food waste going to landfills, Cupertino was awarded the U.S. EPA National Award for Innovative Food Waste Reduction.
According to mercurynews.com:
"Cupertino is the city doing the most to innovate around food waste and recycling in the nation," said Jared Blumenfeld, the EPA's Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. "What Cupertino really stands for is a small city that doesn't have a lot of staff working on this and does not have a lot of residents, but it said 'we want to make a difference.' If Cupertino can do it, any city throughout the United States can do it."
The city took on the challenge of reducing food waste by working with different groups: residents, businesses and grocers. Activities included workshops to help grocers and markets generate less food waste by donating leftover food or composting food scraps.
Food is the most prevalent item in the waste stream. When excess food, leftover food, and food scraps are sent to a landfill, the food decomposes and becomes a source of methane -a powerful greenhouse gas.
In addition to composting food scraps, consider donating unused, edible food to food banks. With so many in this country and around the world going hungry, there’s no excuse for throwing good food in the trash.
The EPA has tips on how to help at Feed Families, Not Landfills.