Did you know that 30-40% of our food supply becomes food waste?!When we consider the land, water, labour, energy and other inputs used in producing, processing, transporting, preparing, storing, and disposing of this discarded food – PHEWF! – the impacts are astronomical. Not to mention that food waste is the single largest component in municipal landfills, generating the third largest source of methane in North America. So what can we do to help? Here are a few tips:
1. Take stock of what you have before heading to the grocery store. This way you can avoid buying things you might already have hiding at the back of your cupboard!
2. Store products correctly by using your humidity-controlled produce drawers in your refrigerator, keeping counter produce out of direct sunlight or heat, and storing bread in airtight containers.
3. Preserve what’s in season by freezing, drying, canning, or pickling fresh foods! Grew more cucumbers than you can eat? Pickle them! Blueberries growing in your backyard? Freeze them for future muffins and smoothies.
4. Grow your own herbs at home to avoid buying plastic packaged ones that tend to spoil before you use them all.
4. Compost food scraps to avoid sending them to the landfill and to create a nutrient rich soil for your gardens.
Have questions or comments? Feel free to forward them to jaymie@localhippie.net
Have a happy hippie week!
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