Day 8

Food Waste

SPONSORED BY PATAGONIA PROVISIONS

The Story of Stuff Project
Guayaki
EcoWatch

OVERVIEW

“Imagine walking out of a grocery store with four bags of groceries, dropping one in the parking lot, and just not bothering to pick it up. That’s essentially what we’re doing.”
~ Dana Gunders, NRDC Scientist and Author of Waste Free Kitchen Handbook and Food Waste Warrior

We live in a world of contradictions when it comes to our food supply. Globally, nearly ⅓ of all food produced ends up as food waste. In America alone, 40% of the food produced is never eaten. That’s almost half of the food in the country! And despite all of this food waste, 1 in 8 Americans are struggling to feed themselves and their families.

Food waste isn’t only about throwing out an uneaten plate of pasta — though that definitely is a big part of the equation. Food waste includes any food lost during each stage of the food lifecycle: (1) farming + cultivation; (2) processing; (3) retail; and (4) consumption. The piece of the food lifecycle that is most wasteful depends on where you live. In lower-income countries, food loss mostly occurs during production. Meanwhile, developed countries like the U.S. waste close to 220 lbs of food per year per person at consumption — meaning at our tables and in our fridges. And it’s no better on college campuses, food waste totals 22 million pounds.

Wasting food wastes everything water, labor, fuel, money, and love.~Save the Food Campaign

The image of all this good food going to waste may be hard to swallow, but what adds an extra layer of urgency is that food waste is causing a significant negative impact on our planet. How? Rotting food in our landfills emits methane, a strong greenhouse gas.

If food waste were a country, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions.

That puts it right behind China and the United States. Across the globe, close to 3.3 billion tons of CO2 is created by processing food that ultimately goes to waste.

The bright side to all of these dark statistics? One of the best ways to impact food waste is consumer behavior – so that means the foods you eat and buy! Companies like Patagonia Provisions are thinking critically about their supply chain and products to help reduce food waste and reinvent how we produce our food. Meanwhile, Save the Food and Food Tank are working to raise consumer awareness and create actionable steps people can take to help reduce their food waste. Through more mindful and conscientious action, you can make a big dent in your own food waste statistics.

CHALLENGE

Green

20 POINTS

Think

Food waste is a big, complex topic. Sometimes it is easiest to think about it on the smallest level — the lifecycle of a single piece of food. From farm to shipping container to store to your plate. Given food production currently, it can be easy to feel disconnected from what’s on your table. Take a second to consider how often you think about the food you throw out or never get around to eating.

Challenge

  • Watch this video from Save the Food Campaign and the Ad Council about the lifecycle of a strawberry.
  • How did you feel as you watched the video?
  • What are two things you could do in your own life to change this outcome?
  • When you purchase food, what are three things that influence your purchases?
  • Will you think about where your produce comes from the next time you make a purchase? Why?
  • Deliverables

    Upload your responses in a PDF document. Please include your name (or team name), username, email address, and school.

    Submission Guidelines

    • Please submit all entries as PDFs – no word or pages docs.
    • Please save filenames using the following format: firstname_lastname_challengeday_challengelevel_year.pdf (ex: kasie_shils_day1_green_2017.pdf)
    • Do not include # or spaces in filenames
    • Please be sure to include all content for your submission in one doc
    • Do not upload a file bigger than 5 MB
    • You will get a confirmation on screen that your submission uploaded correctly (green) or that it failed (red) and to try again.
    • If your total points do not change, your submission did not load correctly and you will have to try again. You can see your point total by opening the Edit Profile tab on the bottom nav bar. Your point total will be at the top of the page.
    • Send any questions you have to info@turninggreen.org
    • Don’t forget to post about the challenge and your learnings/doings on social media and tag us on Facebook @TurningGreen, on Twitter @TurningGreenOrg, and on Instagram @TurningGreenOrg and use #PGC2017.
    The deadline for entering this challenge has past.

    Greener

    40 POINTS

    Think

    How often do you really take note of what you toss at each meal? How much food ends up in the trash in your dining halls or even from your own refrigerator. One of the biggest problems with food waste is the “out of sight, out of mind” mentality. Once you’ve tossed something you don’t want, you probably never have to see it again. But, like most environmental conservation, once you have an idea of what happens to uneaten food, it’s easier to keep it in your mind’s eye.

    Challenge

  • Visit Save the Food and look through all of their resources.
  • Make a list of the 5 most surprising facts you found on the this website.
  • Visit the “Store It” page and read through how you can store your food to make it last longer.
  • Find 3 items that you currently have in your kitchen or fridge. Take a photo of each, and write about how you can make the most of each item.
  • Post a picture of 1 item on Instagram and write a clever and informative caption about how you can extend its life to avoid food waste. Tag @TurningGreenOrg and use the hashtags #Savethefood and #PGC2017.
  • Deliverables

    Upload a PDF Document with your 5 facts, pictures of your 3 food items with responses, and a screenshot of your social media post. Include your name (or team name), username, email address, and school.

    Submission Guidelines

    • Please submit all entries as PDFs – no word or pages docs.
    • Please save filenames using the following format: firstname_lastname_challengeday_challengelevel_year.pdf (ex: kasie_shils_day1_greener_2017.pdf)
    • Do not include # or spaces in filenames
    • Please be sure to include all content for your submission in one doc
    • Do not upload a file bigger than 5 MB
    • You will get a confirmation on screen that your submission uploaded correctly (green) or that it failed (red) and to try again.
    • If your total points do not change, your submission did not load correctly and you will have to try again. You can see your point total by opening the Edit Profile tab on the bottom nav bar. Your point total will be at the top of the page.
    • Send any questions you have to info@turninggreen.org
    • Don’t forget to post about the challenge and your learnings/doings on social media and tag us on Facebook @TurningGreen, on Twitter @TurningGreenOrg, and on Instagram @TurningGreenOrg and use #PGC2017.
    The deadline for entering this challenge has past.

    Greenest

    60 POINTS

    Due on 10/13 at 6am PT. We will award up to 50 bonus points based on quality of work.

    Think

    You’ve considered how much food you waste individually, but have you thought about how much food goes to waste on your campus? Now it’s time to dig in and understand how your school has been working to reduce their food waste and how you might be able to reduce it even more.

    Challenge

    • Do some research and assess what is happening on your campus around food waste. Here are a few questions to get you started.
    • What does your school currently do with its leftover food?
    • Does your school’s dining services donate any food to the community?
    • Does your school’s dining services compost?
    • Write up a plan to reduce food waste on campus based on your research.
    • Share your plan with someone you think could make a difference on your campus’ approach to food waste. Is it an advocacy group? An administrator? Someone in dining services?
    • Take some pictures of campus food waste share them with us. Caption with what the waste is and where you found it.

    Deliverables

    Upload a PDF document with the responses and photos. Please include your name (or team name), username, email address, and school.

    Submission Guidelines

    • Please submit all entries as PDFs – no word or pages docs.
    • Please save filenames using the following format: firstname_lastname_challengeday_challengelevel_year.pdf (ex: kasie_shils_day1_greener_2017.pdf)
    • Do not include # or spaces in filenames
    • Please be sure to include all content for your submission in one doc
    • Do not upload a file bigger than 5 MB
    • You will get a confirmation on screen that your submission uploaded correctly (green) or that it failed (red) and to try again.
    • If your total points do not change, your submission did not load correctly and you will have to try again. You can see your point total by opening the Edit Profile tab on the bottom nav bar. Your point total will be at the top of the page.
    • Send any questions you have to info@turninggreen.org
    • Don’t forget to post about the challenge and your learnings/doings on social media and tag us on Facebook @TurningGreen, on Twitter @TurningGreenOrg, and on Instagram @TurningGreenOrg and use #PGC2017.
    The deadline for entering this challenge has past.

    Extra Credit

    0 POINTS

    Extra Credit due on October 15 @ 6am PT. Up to 50 points awarded for outstanding work.

    Think

    What happens with food waste in your own personal life? Where does it go when it’s too far gone to eat. Or what happens to the apple cores, shells from peas…

    Challenge

    Dive a bit more deeply into how you can actually reduce your food waste footprint. Create a dish out of scraps or items that might have gone into compost or landfill.

    Share a photo of your dish and recipe on a social media platform of your choice. Tag @TurningGreenOrg and use the hashtags #Savethefood and #PGC2017.

    Deliverables

    Upload a PDF document with your photo and responses. Include a screenshot of your social media post. Please include your name (or team name), username, email address, and school.

    Submission Guidelines

    • Please submit all entries as PDFs – no word or pages docs.
    • Please save filenames using the following format: firstname_lastname_challengeday_challengelevel_year.pdf (ex: kasie_shils_day1_greener_2017.pdf)
    • Do not include # or spaces in filenames
    • Please be sure to include all content for your submission in one doc
    • Do not upload a file bigger than 5 MB
    • You will get a confirmation on screen that your submission uploaded correctly (green) or that it failed (red) and to try again.
    • If your total points do not change, your submission did not load correctly and you will have to try again. You can see your point total by opening the Edit Profile tab on the bottom nav bar. Your point total will be at the top of the page.
    • Send any questions you have to info@turninggreen.org
    • Don’t forget to post about the challenge and your learnings/doings on social media and tag us on Facebook @TurningGreen, on Twitter @TurningGreenOrg, and on Instagram @TurningGreenOrg and use #PGC2017.
    The deadline for entering this challenge has past.

    TODAY’S PRIZES

    up to 10 winners from the greener challenge will receive:

    Patagonia Provisions Black Bean Soup
    Patagonia Provisions Organic Breakfast Cereal (2)
    Patagonia Provisions Organic Fruit & Nut Bars (4)
    Coconut Bowls Natural Coconut Bowl with Spoon

    U-Konserve Insulated Lunch Tote
    U-Konserve Ice Pack
    Reusit Bamboo Utensils and Placemat
    Moso Natural Moso Bag for Refrigerator

    up to 10 winners from the greenest challenge will receive:

    Patagonia Provisions Stainless Steel Pint Cup
    Patagonia Provisions Grass Fed Buffalo Jerky
    Patagonia Provisions Organic Tsampa Soup
    Patagonia Provisions Organic Savory Grain Mushroom and Kamut

    Klean Kanteen Insulated Food Container
    U-Konserve Divided Container
    Strawsome Glass Straw
    RSVP International Compost Pail