Food Insecurity and Waste
Imagine having not eaten for a day and do not know when you will eat, you are hungry but don't have the spare money to pay for food. Between bills and debts it can be hard to find the extra money for food. It is called “Food insecurity” and many people who face it can go days without eating a meal or even months without the nutrition needed for us to survive. This problem is faced by nearly 40 million people, including 12 million children, in the US alone but why is this and what can be done to help solve it. Some solutions to the problem is donations from restaurants, composting to keep a healthy ecosystem, and Utilizing programs to help feed the hungry.
First up is the donation of foods nearing spoilage being donated to people who can distribute or use it. In New York the average household produced 8.4 pounds of food waste a week. Approximately ⅓ of all food is wasted before being eaten, some of this food is completely shelf stable and can be donated to food banks before it is wasted. Some food banks even accept fresh fruit and non-shelf stable foods, everyone has that corner of the pantry and fridge where foods go to rot, but next time instead of just letting things sit, when you get new groceries go through your fridge and pantry and find what can still be used and see if it can be donated. If you find rotting or already spoiled food though there is something else that can be done with it.
One may assume that spoiled food is now unusable, that throwing it away is the only option, but there's a better way. Composting. Many foods and even household products can be composted. It may seem like it is hard to get into but it really is not, as the word of how much better composting is for the environment spreads, more products and local programs are beginning to help get the average consumer compost. Here in Charlottesville the McIntire recycling center has a composting program anyone can take advantage of. While they don't do everything that can be composted they are still a better alternative to just throwing food away. Food waste produced by America and thrown away is one of the leading causes of greenhouse gasses like methane being produced, if we can limit this even just slightly it can make a huge difference to the world and to the environment.
Finally, there are many programs that one can find in the local area to help with food insecurity, from donations to food pantries to monetary donations. Anything can help. In Charlottesville there are quite a few organizations that accept food and donations to help with food insecurity. The two largest of these is Blue Ridge Area Food Bank and Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry. These companies have the ability to distribute food and gather food much better than any home could. They are very happy to take any kind of donations and you can find more information on their websites.
Overall, people who face food insecurity may feel like there is no way out, but with the help of people who care, anyone can make a difference to help end food insecurity. We never know when someone may come on hard times and need help, and offering that help for a better future is better for everyone. Whether donating food, composting and gardening, or donating to local food banks. There's a part we can all do that helps.
Works Cited
Admin, FANO. “Home.” Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, www.brafb.org . Accessed 23 Mar. 2022.
Hanson, Kait. “What to Donate to a Food Bank — and What to Avoid.” TODAY.com, 15 Apr. 2021, www.today.com/food/food-banks-what-foods-donate-what-avoid-today-t214545.
“Loaves & Fishes.” Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, Inc., www.cvilleloaves.org/. Accessed 23 Mar. 2022.
“Number of Restaurants.” Worldcitiescultureforum.com, 2019, www.worldcitiescultureforum.com/data/number-of-restaurants.
First up is the donation of foods nearing spoilage being donated to people who can distribute or use it. In New York the average household produced 8.4 pounds of food waste a week. Approximately ⅓ of all food is wasted before being eaten, some of this food is completely shelf stable and can be donated to food banks before it is wasted. Some food banks even accept fresh fruit and non-shelf stable foods, everyone has that corner of the pantry and fridge where foods go to rot, but next time instead of just letting things sit, when you get new groceries go through your fridge and pantry and find what can still be used and see if it can be donated. If you find rotting or already spoiled food though there is something else that can be done with it.
One may assume that spoiled food is now unusable, that throwing it away is the only option, but there's a better way. Composting. Many foods and even household products can be composted. It may seem like it is hard to get into but it really is not, as the word of how much better composting is for the environment spreads, more products and local programs are beginning to help get the average consumer compost. Here in Charlottesville the McIntire recycling center has a composting program anyone can take advantage of. While they don't do everything that can be composted they are still a better alternative to just throwing food away. Food waste produced by America and thrown away is one of the leading causes of greenhouse gasses like methane being produced, if we can limit this even just slightly it can make a huge difference to the world and to the environment.
Finally, there are many programs that one can find in the local area to help with food insecurity, from donations to food pantries to monetary donations. Anything can help. In Charlottesville there are quite a few organizations that accept food and donations to help with food insecurity. The two largest of these is Blue Ridge Area Food Bank and Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry. These companies have the ability to distribute food and gather food much better than any home could. They are very happy to take any kind of donations and you can find more information on their websites.
Overall, people who face food insecurity may feel like there is no way out, but with the help of people who care, anyone can make a difference to help end food insecurity. We never know when someone may come on hard times and need help, and offering that help for a better future is better for everyone. Whether donating food, composting and gardening, or donating to local food banks. There's a part we can all do that helps.
Works Cited
Admin, FANO. “Home.” Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, www.brafb.org . Accessed 23 Mar. 2022.
Hanson, Kait. “What to Donate to a Food Bank — and What to Avoid.” TODAY.com, 15 Apr. 2021, www.today.com/food/food-banks-what-foods-donate-what-avoid-today-t214545.
“Loaves & Fishes.” Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, Inc., www.cvilleloaves.org/. Accessed 23 Mar. 2022.
“Number of Restaurants.” Worldcitiescultureforum.com, 2019, www.worldcitiescultureforum.com/data/number-of-restaurants.
“Restaurant Food Waste - How Much & Why?” MOONSHOT COMPOSTING, 3 June 2020, www.moonshotcompost.com/restaurant-food-waste-how-much-why/.
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