An Earth-Friendly Edition For People Who Love The Planet

FUN STUFF TO READ, LEARN, & DO

“Global warming isn’t real because I was cold today! Also, great news: world hunger is over because I just ate.”
~ Stephen Colbert

 

FUN STUFF TO READ:

American Wasteland: 
How America Throws Away Nearly Half Of Its Food
By Jonathan Bloom

Adult Nonfiction

“As more people are going hungry while simultaneously more people are morbidly obese, American Wasteland sheds light on the history, culture, and mindset of waste while exploring the parallel eco-friendly and sustainable-food movements.”

FUN STUFF TO LEARN:

Can you ignore food expiration dates? 

    • Yes! With the exception of baby formula
    • “Sell by” “Best by” “Use by” None of these labels are regulated by any actual authority
    • Read it again: The food dating system is NOT government-regulated or standardized
    • 80 million tons of perfectly good food was unsold or uneaten in 2021
    • 8-10% of all greenhouse gas pollution is caused by food loss or waste
    • Use common sense and the “sniff” test to determine if food has expired

FUN STUFF TO DO:

How to cut food waste in your home:

    1. Buy only what you need. Make a list & stick to it.
    2. Don’t be prejudiced. Buy “ugly” or irregularly-shaped fruits and veggies.
    3. First in, first out. When you stock your fridge/cupboards, move older products to the front and place newer ones in the back.
    4. “Use by” and “Sell by” dates don’t mean anything. Use the sniff test.
    5. Leave nothing behind. Use leftovers in another dish.
    6. Compost food scraps!