Public News Service’s Post

In light of the Biden-Harris Administration's recent announcement of the National Strategy to Reduce Food Loss and Waste and Recycle Organics, I’m proud to share the strides we’re making at Too Good To Go in reducing food waste. This announcement marks a major step in achieving the administration’s goal to halve food waste by 2030, and further energizes our efforts. Specifically, Too Good To Go is championing essential food loss and waste provisions in the Farm Bill, and we need the support of Congress to make this happen. By endorsing the food waste provisions in @Senator Stabenow’s Farm Bill, we can solidify the partnership between the USDA, FDA, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and USAID. These provisions will pave the way for regional coordinators within the USDA, kickstart a national food waste education campaign, and foster collaboration among the USDA, EPA, and FDA. You can read more here: https://bit.ly/3VrMFTX. Public-private partnerships are essential, and we all have a role to play in reducing food waste. I invite you to join us and continue pushing forward, reducing food waste, and minimizing its environmental impact. Together, we can make a real difference. #FoodWaste #Sustainability #TooGoodToGo #FarmBill #ActNow

Join us online on Thursday April 4, 4 PM PT/ 7 PM ET, for a Climate Action Party: Reducing Food Waste! Did you know wasted food alone accounts for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than the emissions of the aviation and shipping sectors combined? According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, 30% of food is wasted globally across the entire supply chain. This wasted food ends up in landfills where it decomposes and produces vast quantities of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Food date labels—those notices that say “Best If Used By,” “Use By,” or “Sell By”—are a big part of the problem. They are unregulated, so companies decide their own food date labels. This lack of consistency leads to confusion among consumers, who then discard perfectly good food, contributing to landfill waste. The Food Date Label Act proposes to standardize food date labels. A standard food date label system doesn’t cost the consumer, doesn’t cost the company, and doesn’t cost the government. It is one of many solutions to our food waste problem. Hear from our panel of experts Lily Herd of ReFED, Tori Oto from Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic, Regina (Anderson) Harmon of Food Recovery Network, with guest moderator Jessica Craven, and get a clear view of the food waste problem, date labels, the solutions, and then take actions on the Climate Action Now app to advocate for effective public policy! About Our Action Parties Each Action Party has an environment-related topic and a featured guest who is an expert in that topic. We combine learning with action-taking in a highly interactive and engaging hour. The actions are prepared in advance to help participants take the most impactful action in the shortest period of time. Action parties are free and open to all who seek a more just and sustainable world, but we welcome donations to help us continue our mission of creating a just and liveable planet for all. Join us!! #climateactionnow #foodwaste #fooddatelabelingact #methaneemmissions #greenhousegasemissions https://lnkd.in/ghAHAyr8

ReFED, a 501(c)(3) national non-profit with the mission of combating food waste, estimates that date label concerns cause more than 3 million tons of food waste each year and that this law could save 70,000 tons of food waste annually. The ramifications of food waste don't end at unused food, but also cause larger environmental issues and cost consumers a lot of money. Unused food that ends up in landfills emits greenhouse gases that negatively impact the environment. #ReFED says on its website that food waste "produces annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 30% of U.S. passenger vehicle transportation." They also estimate that food waste costs 473 billion dollars annually. Irwin said that signing the bill was, "a monumental step to keep money in the pockets of consumers while helping the environment and the planet." https://lnkd.in/gtrHzsVy

In the U.S., nearly 40% of all food is wasted. That's an enormous waste of all the resources that went into producing, processing, transporting, and serving that food. And when food breaks down in landfills, it produces methane, contributing to global warming. To make matters worse, while all that food goes to waste, 1 in 8 U.S. households lack consistent access to food. Although businesses, government agencies, nonprofits, and many others are already taking huge strides to address this challenge, a massive acceleration is needed to reach our national goal of cutting food waste 50% by 2030. That’s why PIRG is urging Congress to prioritize food loss and waste in the upcoming farm bill through this open letter. This package of legislation has a tremendous impact on the food system—meaning it's an incredible opportunity to promote long-lasting solutions to the food waste crisis. We’re proud to join forces with the Zero Food Waste Coalition, as well as 70 businesses & organizations supporting this initiative. https://lnkd.in/eP_NuEpA

A third of all food grown is lost or wasted, while 24% of all water used in agriculture is used on food that ultimately will not be consumed by humans. The direct impact of food loss and waste – not being used to feed people who need it – is hugely significant, given that 828 million people globally, or almost one in ten, are affected by hunger. However, the impact of food loss and waste goes far beyond undernourishment. Todd Redwood, Managing Director Global Food & Retail at BSI, and Leanne Singleton, Technical Specialist at End Food Waste Australia, explore in this article for BSI Food and Retail: https://lnkd.in/eJWE9S8c #FoodWaste #FoodLoss #FoodSector #WasteReduction

A third of all food grown is lost or wasted, while 24% of all water used in agriculture is used on food that ultimately will not be consumed by humans. The direct impact of food loss and waste – not being used to feed people who need it – is hugely significant, given that 828 million people globally, or almost one in ten, are affected by hunger. However, the impact of food loss and waste goes far beyond undernourishment. Todd Redwood, Managing Director Global Food & Retail at BSI, and Leanne Singleton, Technical Specialist at End Food Waste Australia, explore in this article for BSI Food and Retail: https://lnkd.in/eBpzchJs #FoodWaste #FoodLoss #FoodSector #WasteReduction

🇺🇲♻️ US GOVERNMENT ISSUES FIRST-EVER NATIONAL STRATEGY TO COMBAT FOOD WASTE The Biden-Harris administration has released the first national strategy to tackle food waste and loss, as part of the US’s goal of cutting food waste in half by 2030. Published in alliance with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – which renewed their food waste agreement last month – the strategy provides goals for businesses and consumers to prevent wastage, increase recycling, reduce emissions, and save money. Some of the initiatives revolve around extending the shelf life of foods, expanding food donations, improving local infrastructure to upcycle food waste into useful commodities, and developing a national consumer education and behavioural change campaign. “Everyone has a role to play in reducing food loss and waste, and I hope that these federal commitments will inspire and catalyze action in the private sector and communities around the US,” said agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack, who announced the food waste strategy at the ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit in Baltimore, Maryland. Some of the priority actions the government and its agencies are taking include a $2.5M investment to measure the “effectiveness of different consumer messages to encourage households to reduce food waste”; a $1.5M research centre for food waste prevention among land-grant universities, their partners and external stakeholders; and collaborations with farmers, crop insurance agents, and gleaning organisations to encourage on-farm food loss reduction. The White House will also fund research into technologies that could extend the shelf life of perishable foods, such as new seed varieties and novel packaging solutions. The strategy cites “successful efforts in other countries” that have involved changes in packaging design, marketing promotions and portion sizes, and food date labelling. “Consumer confusion about the different quality date labels (e.g., best if used by, sell by, use by) leads to the premature discard of wholesome food,” it reads. The USDA is further investing in innovations that upcycle food scraps into new products like compost, animal feed or biogas. Moreover, the government is scaling up efforts to help students prevent food waste in schools and cafeterias as well. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/egKkkMtw #GreenQueen #fooswaste #foodloss #emissions #climateaction #sustainability

The Zero Food Waste Coalition ✈️ Capitol Hill! Last week, the ZWFC hosted an in-person advocacy day on Capitol Hill to continue urging Congress to prioritize food loss and waste (FLW) prevention efforts in federal policy. 🌟 The highlights 🌟 👥 Over 35 ZFWC members attended the event 🤝 We hosted 25 Congressional meetings representing 14 states 💬 Members advocated for our Farm Bill priorities—such as the NO TIME TO Waste Act and the Food Date Labeling Act—as well as our food loss and waste requests for FY 2025 Appropriations Given the recent movement on the 2024 Farm Bill, fiscal year 2025 Appropriations, and the National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics earlier that same week, we were eager to build upon the momentum and continue the conversation around FLW prevention and reduction! ✍️To see our full list of Farm Bill priorities, click here ➡️ https://shorturl.at/xfZfk  📩 To learn more about the Coalition’s efforts, email [email protected] or visit zerofoodwastecoalition.org #ZFWCHillDay2024

International Day of Awareness on Food Loss and Waste Reduction This day serves as a global call to action to address one of the most pressing issues in our food systems, aiming to highlight the critical importance of reducing food loss and waste to enhance food security, improve nutrition, and promote environmental sustainability. Food loss and waste occur at various stages of the food supply chain, from production and harvest to processing, distribution, and consumption. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), approximately 14% of the world’s food is lost between harvest and retail, while significant amounts are wasted at the consumer level. This not only represents a loss of valuable resources but also contributes to environmental degradation, as wasted food often ends up in landfills, producing methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The theme for this year’s observance, “Climate Finance for Food Loss and Waste Reduction”, underscores the need for financial investments to tackle this issue effectively. By channeling funds into innovative technologies, infrastructure improvements, and educational campaigns, we can significantly reduce food loss and waste. By taking action at every level of the food system, we can ensure that more food reaches those who need it, reduce environmental impacts, and build a more resilient future. Let us use this day to reflect on our habits and make conscious choices that contribute to a world with less waste and more abundance. https://lnkd.in/dzwqRY29. https://lnkd.in/dPCRUZn3

Another study on food waste that leaves you speechless. In the U.S., up to 40 percent of food goes unsold or uneaten each year, of which about 33 million tons ends up in landfills. This is particularly shocking given that one in eight Americans suffers from food insecurity. The discarded food could feed these people more than four times over and is worth $428 billion annually. And it gets worse. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), food waste in the United States causes greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the impact of 50 million gas-powered cars each year across the entire supply chain. That's about 6 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States - or 170 million metric tons - attributable to the energy used to produce, transport, store and dispose of all the food we don't eat. Enough reasons to make a change, don't you think? The good news is that everyone can do their bit to counteract this. Change your consumption habits! #sustainability #foodwaste #circulareconomy #sustainableagriculture #foodinsecurity