Eliminating Food Waste

We asked some of our volunteers and employees at La Puente to write articles for Hunger Education Week. During this week we work to raise awareness surrounding the issue of food insecurity. Millions are still unable to eat sufficient food to meet basic nutritional needs. Hunger Education Week is a series of events designed to increase awareness about the realities of hunger in our communities and what we can do to help. La Puente’s 2023 Hunger Education Week took place from Sunday, May 7th through Friday, May 12th.

The following was written by La Puente’s own Ashley Roberts who works with the Food Bank Network of the San Luis Valley in Alamosa and at the Shelter:

Food Waste: Why It Matters

Food waste is a problem that is not specific to the San Luis Valley. From the land of the free to the Great Barrier Reef, millions of pounds of food are sent to landfills each year. It’s not uncommon for people to not think twice about where their food comes from or where it ends up. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways for individuals and businesses to reduce food waste.

The best thing an individual can do is to be mindful of and change their consumption habits as needed. This does not mean eating less food; rather, this means paying more attention to how much food is purchased versus how much is consumed. Purchasing too much food leads to unnecessary spoilage; this can be avoided by either meal planning or only buying what will be consumed in a timely manner. Of course, this takes a bit of adjustment that will eventually improve with time.

Composting

Composting is another great way to cut down on food waste. Thanks to the Valley Educational Gardens Initiative, it’s incredibly easy to get started with gardening and composting. Fruits and vegetables that are either scraps or unfit for consumption can be broken down into organic fertilizers for gardening. As long as the compost is well-maintained, it can be a great addition to any garden or farm setup. For those who don’t want to or don’t know how to compost, any food scraps can be brought to Boyd Garden for the V.E.G.I. team to take care of. Additionally, the Rio Grande Farm Park can accept food waste for compost and distribute the finished compost by the ton.

A Fun Way to Eliminate Food Waste

Farm animals are an underrated resource for cutting down on food waste. Animals such as pigs, cows, and chickens can eat certain fruits, vegetables, and greens that are no longer fit for human consumption. Pigs, for example, can eat most foods regardless of whether or not it’s moldy. At the food bank, food that is not fit for consumption goes into separate boxes for farm animals. It is available free of charge and clients can take whatever is available.

Although food waste is a global problem, it doesn’t have to be a personal problem. Keeping food out of landfills is no easy task, but with gradual lifestyle changes, everyone can make a difference. Of course, there is always going to be room for trial and error. The most important takeaway is to strive for improvement and not perfectionism. It’s better to have everyone doing it imperfectly than to have a few people doing it perfectly.