TASKFORCE
Food Waste
Become a food steward.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save resources, save food.
WHAT IS IT?
Rotary Ideas in Action
Food waste is responsible for 8-10 % of global greenhouse gas emissions. If food waste was a country, it would be the world’s 3rd largest generator of Greenhouse Gasses! When we waste food, we also waste water, agricultural resources and fossil fuels used to produce, transform and transport food. Did you know that 17 percent of edible food is wasted mostly from households, retail service and food service regardless of country? There is much work to do to make it better and it can start at home and in your club!
FOOD WASTE
Featured Projects
Projects the task force supports.
Initiatives with Food Waste
Learn simple ways to reduce food waste at home, in your club and community, and at Rotary events. Stop one of the biggest producers of greenhouse gases. Because Food is too good to waste.
INITIATIVES
Project Objectives
OUR MISSION: To facilitate solutions that keeps food waste out of landfill
through education and behavior change at the household, community, school,
club, district, and zone level by providing tools and projects support.
Objectives
VISION: All Rotarians act to save food to prevent the creation of methane and the waste of food production resources and transport, by creating circular economy projects and improving food security.
OBJECTIVES: To have all Rotary events and meetings diverting food waste out of landfill and provide:
- Education – Serve as a resource referral center for Clubs, Districts, and Global Grant applicants to provide information needed to understand the importance of saving food. Motivate individual Rotarians to take the challenge and spread the practice of preventing food from going to waste. Collect data and information on food waste. Provide educational material and project support.
- Projects – Facilitate the implementation of Food Waste Reduction projects.
- Advocacy – Serve as Food Waste Ambassadors to educate Rotarians and provide presentations to local clubs, districts and other Rotary events.
Project Examples
Gather in teams and collaborate to find ideas on what you can do to prevent food waste. By sorting your fridge, storing food properly, eating leftovers, donating, and composting, much can be done. Try one of these projects today:
- Recovering food and avoiding food waste at Rotary events (District Conference, PETS, Zone conference, fundraisers, District Assembly Training, etc.)
- Students leading efforts to reduce food waste at school
- Interactors starting a school composting system
- Food Waste & Food Recovery community assessment (understand what you can do in your own community)
- Rotarians joining forces with the Renewable Energy team to save food at a farmers’ market
- Rotarians gleaning fresh produce to prevent food waste:
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- Collecting from Farmers Market
- Gleaning from orchards
- Recovering food at grocery stores
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ESRAG invites global Rotary members with interest, experience, and/or expertise in food waste to contact the Food Waste Task Force to join our team.
Resources
Recording of Presentation:
Presentation based on the original template (Octobre 2021)
Presentation given at the first Kyoto Peace Conference in 2021
Food Waste Information
US EPA
Sustainable Management of Food | US EPA
Food: Too Good to Waste Implementation Guide and Toolkit | Sustainable Management of Food | US EPA
ReFED : Food Waste Recycling Analysis, Reduce Food Waste & Food Recovery – ReFED US Composting Council
Zero Waste USA: Zero Waste USA | Inspiring Communities to Embrace and Achieve Zero Waste Zero Waste International Alliance
FoodPrint: Making Sense of Food
Institute for Local Self Reliance – Compost for a Better Planet
Useful website for food waste challenge
Campaigns
https://savethefood.com/ (US campaign)
https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/ (UK site)
https://lovefoodhatewaste.ca/ (Canadian site)
https://furtherwithfood.org/?s=Tag%3A+Food%3A+Too+Good+to+Waste
Community Websites (English & Spanish)
https://nofoodleftbehindcorvallis.org/ (includes Spanish)
https://www.sdfsa.org/save-the-food-san-diego
https://scrapfoodwaste.org/tips
http://www.eatsmartwasteless.com/ (also in Spanish)
http://www.seattle.gov/utilities/protecting-our-environment/sustainability-tips/waste prevention/at-home/stop-food-waste (10 additional languages)
https://www.co.dakota.mn.us/Environment/Residential/Organics/Pages/prevent-food waste.aspx
https://savemorethanfood.org/make-a-difference/at-home/
Toolkit
https://savethefood.com/partner-kit/
https://furtherwithfood.org/resources/the-refrigerator-demystified/
The Waste Free Kitchen Handbook
Recipe Websites
https://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/dinner-ideas-using-what-you-have-on-hand
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipes/14503/everyday-cooking/everyday-leftovers/
https://www.savethefood.com/cook-it
https://www.bigoven.com/recipes/leftover
https://zerowastechef.com/recipe-index/
Cooking for one
https://onedishkitchen.com/cooking-for-one-recipes/
http://www.pbs.org/food/theme/cooking-for-one/
https://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/for-one
Apps, Tools, Directories, Etc.
FoodKeeper App – info on how long food can last if stored properly
https://savethefood.com/meal-prep-mate/ – Meal prep & planning tool Save The Food’s Alexa skill – storage & freshness info
https://savethefood.com/storage – Storage directory
https://endsandstems.com/ – Meal planning subscription
Google’s Plan Your Planet tool – impact of your waste, tips, tracking
http://notasteforwaste.org/ – also a bookazine
Scraps: Parts Uneaten cooking show
Twitter accounts: @makemyleftover & @eatortoss
Other environmental and climate change information
FOOD WASTE
Featured Videos and
Webinar Recordings
Want to take action with Food Waste?
ESRAG invites global Rotary members with interest, experience, and/or expertise in food waste to contact the Food Waste Task Force to join. Requirements to be on our Task Force:
- Must be a member of ESRAG
- Task Force meetings once a month
- Up to 2 one hour meetings per month plus prep (up to 5-8 hours per month)
- Responsive via email
- Be passionate about being a resource
