Food Waste Prevention Week is taking place September 28 through October 4. This is a national effort that happens every year to try and shine a spotlight on the effects of food waste and share practical ways to prevent food waste.You can read more about the local side of these national movements in the monthly newsletter from Waste Wise Lane County.
This year, in partnership with the Lane County Farmers Market and City of Eugene Waste Prevention, Waste Wise Lane County is planning a fun community event for Saturday, October 3, at the Saturday Farmers Market. Details on that event are still being worked out. Below, I share some information that Waste Wise Lane County and the USDA put together.
According to a 2024 analysis by Feeding America, approximately 16.2% of Lane County residents experience food insecurity, meaning they lack consistent access to enough food to live an active, healthy life. In the United States, food waste is estimated at between 30% and 40% of the food supply. Almost half! This means almost half of the effort farmers put in to growing our food, all the shipping and transportation costs, and the money we spend at grocery stores and restaurants is thrown away.
Preventing food waste starts in our own kitchens.
Buy only what you need.
Plan meals around the items you already have.
Place items you need to use first up front in your refrigerator.
Use clear storage containers so you can see what you have.
Store food properly.
Read more about food waste:
Topic: Food Waste
Author: Time Magazine
Title: How to Stop Wasting So Much Food in Your Kid’s Lunchbox
Takeaway: “Before you overhaul your lunch-packing routine, spend a couple weeks paying attention to what returns at the end of the day.”
Topic: Innovation & Tech
Author: Interesting Engineering
Title: Scientists turn leftover kitchen waste into high-quality protein for farmed fish
Takeaway: Chinese researchers have developed a two-stage bioconversion system that turns kitchen waste into single-cell protein and lipids.
Topic: Innovation & Tech
Author: Waste Today
Title: Full Circle Bioconversion processes food waste from MLB Little League Classic
Takeaway: “The company uses black soldier fly larvae to consume food waste, producing a nutrient-rich soil additive and a sustainable protein source for animal and aquaculture feed.”
Wasted Food Prevention Resources
Just 3.5 percent: that’s the percentage of a population it takes to engage with an issue (like the climate crisis) to make transformational change. Join the movement and engage.
Have more resources about this topic you want us to add to the list? Drop us a line at wastewisenews@lanecountyor.gov.
Burrito Brigade/Waste to Taste
burritobrigade.org/volunteer
City of Eugene Commercial Food Waste Resources
eugene-or.gov/2201/Commercial-Food-Waste-Resources
Don’t Let Good Food Go Bad!
dontletgoodfoodgobad.org
Eugene Area Gleaners
eugeneareagleaners.com
86 Hunger Foundation
86hunger.org
Eugene Veg Education Network
eugeneveg.org
Food for Lane County
foodforlanecounty.org/events
OSU Extension Service
extension.oregonstate.edu/county/lane/events
Lane County Wasted Food Prevention
lanecountyor.gov/wastewise-food
School Garden Project of Lane County
schoolgardenproject.org
ReFed
refed.org
Take the Jump
takethejump.org/eat-green
University of Oregon Food Security
dos.uoregon.edu/food