Salisbury University’s Recycling Department hosts multiple Food Waste Challenges in partnership with Dining Services to weigh post-consumer food waste and educate the campus community on food waste issues.
Minimizing food waste is an important issue for several reasons, including the environmental impact, conservation of resources and the social considerations. When food enters a landfill, it decomposes and releases a greenhouse gas that ultimately intensifies environmental degradation. By minimizing food waste, we can conserve valuable resources such as water, land, and energy that get wasted when food is thrown away. Reducing food waste can also help redirect excess food to those in need who suffer around the world from food insecurity.
As minimizing food waste is beneficial, spreading awareness about this issue can help educate others towards creating a more sustainable food system and contributing to a healthier planet.
To help stop food waste you can:
- Plan your meals
- Understand expiration dates
- Buy only what you need
- Grab smaller portions
- Freeze excess food
- Donate extra food you may have