Food Waste Isn’t Trash!

Have you ever thought about what happens to that banana peel when you throw it in the garbage bin? You may be surprised to discover that it’s not actually being returned to the Earth anytime soon.

Instead, your food waste is likely being sent to a landfill. And while yes, landfills are indeed giant holes in the ground, these piles were designed for storage, not for proper decomposition. So that banana peel is likely slowly turning into climate poison, rather than healthy soil.

The average American throws out about 25% of their food, making it the single largest source of waste in landfills. Let’s break down why this is such a big deal.

Climate Change

Food waste in landfills produce the third largest amount of methane emissions in the US. This is because when food waste gets put into plastic bags, sealed up, and dumped into landfills, it doesn’t break down the same way that it should in nature. Starved of oxygen, decomposing organics in landfills release methane, a greenhouse gas that is at least 80x more potent than CO2. Methane has been front and center of recent climate policy discussions (such as the Global Methane Pledge) because it is responsible for at least one-quarter of the global warming that has already occurred. However, it also has a shorter atmospheric lifespan than other greenhouse gases, which means that reducing our methane emissions is one of our best shots at combatting climate change.

Soil & Water Contamination

Food waste in a landfill attracts vermin and other pests, which can lead to contamination of surrounding soil and water sources.

Land Use

Landfills takes up valuable space that could be used for other purposes, such as agriculture or recreation.

Solutions

Instead of adding food waste to landfills, consider alternative methods such as composting, which can help to reduce the negative impacts of food waste on the environment. By composting, food waste can be transformed into a valuable resource that can improve soil fertility and support sustainable agriculture.

To sum it up, food waste in landfills has numerous negative impacts on the environment, and it is important to consider alternative methods for managing food waste in order to reduce these impacts and promote sustainable waste management practices.

Feeling Inspired?

That’s where Demi comes in! We are striving to make composting mainstream and would love to help you start composting!