Don’t be a food waster! Courtesy/LAC

Zero Waste Tip: Save money and time, while helping our environment, by learning a few powerful skills to reduce food waste. A few new “hacks” can be used all year round to become a Food Waste SuperHero!

ZERO WASTE News:

The holidays are here! I’m betting that few of us have time, energy, or money to waste. Good thing that Zero Waste Los Alamos is here to help you save all three and help the planet and feed those who might otherwise go without!

Hopefully you’re already aware of the staggering problem of wasted food. Overall, 35 percent of available food in the US goes uneaten (wasting water, land, chemicals, and labor) and most of that ends up in the landfill where it generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Consumers (that’s us) are the biggest generators of food waste and on average, a US family of four spends $1,800/year on food they throw away.

Here in Los Alamos, we send 6 million pounds of food per year to the Rio Rancho landfill, including more than 16,000 pounds of food *every single day*! This gets worse over the holidays as huge meals are cooked, piles of leftovers are generated (and accidentally shoved to the back of the fridge to become “science experiments”), and grocery store sales (especially the notorious “BOGO” offers) all add up to waste. Fortunately, a little planning and attention can dramatically reduce this, saving you time and money.

Now’s the time to cultivate a new Superpower and become a Hero of Food Waste Prevention!

Please try out some or all of these ideas as you plan, shop, cook, recover from holiday feasts:

• Plan your meals carefully. Concerned about not having enough for your guests? Banish those worries by using the “Guest-Imator” a handy calculator that estimates how much food you need to keep your guests full and happy. Buy just what you need, save money!
• “Shop” your refrigerator and pantry first: Be sure to see what you already have on hand, and need to use up, before making a shopping list.
• Skip the sales, BOGOs and impulse purchases: Stick to your shopping list or have a plan for the extra food you just can’t pass up.
• Serve less…but make it look like more! Studies have shown that using smaller serving dishes, plates and serving spoons will encourage people to take less food (reducing plate waste). Of course, they can always come back for seconds.
• Plan a “Bonus Food” meal or two: Those leftovers are gold, saving time and money! Plan for a meal or two to use them up. Remember to label containers and store correctly (freezers are great). Check out this great resource for using leftovers: 25 Christmas Leftovers Recipes You’ll Love
• The gift that keeps on giving: Have some to-go containers ready to send leftovers home with your guests.
• Share your bounty: Did you find food in your pantry search that you didn’t use? Did you buy too much? Donate your non-perishables to the Food Depot (bins at the Aquatic Center and Senior Center) or local “little food pantries” (Unitarian Church, Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church, Job of Pochaiv Orthodox Church, First United Methodist Church, and La Vista Methodist Church in White Rock)
• Compost the remainder: Yes, you will likely have food scraps from all this. Compost them at home, or post on the “Los Alamos Compost Exchange” Facebook group.
• Learn more about food waste prevention and save all year long! Great resources include com, the US EPA and the LAC Environmental Services webpage.

The holidays are the very best time of the year to celebrate and honor the bounty we enjoy. Learn some new skills now and use them throughout the holidays and beyond!

For more information, check out the Los Alamos County Environmental Services webpage at www.losalamosnm.us/gogreen. For those with questions or concerns, please contact Environmental Services at 505-662-8163 or solidwaste@lacnm.us

The Environmental Sustainability Board (ESB) and Environmental Services Division (ESD) formed the Zero Waste Team to educate the community on: 

• reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions, and 
• conserving energy and water. 

Comprising community volunteers and Los Alamos County employees, the team achieves the ESB and ESD charge through printed and digital messaging that is shared through traditional media sites, social media, and brochures. Moreover, the Zero Waste team members work with individuals and organizations, such as restaurant owners, businesses, schools, and residents, to incorporate these best practices to reduce and conserve into daily routines. To join or contact the Zero Waste team, contact ZeroWaste@lacnm.us.