Using Leftovers Saves More Than Food

Americans throw away about 96 billion pounds of food each year — that’s more than 25% of all our food. You might think that the biggest chunk of our landfill garbage is packaging, but you’d be wrong: by weight, it’s food leftovers!

We can’t change it all overnight, but we can all take one step (or more) to make a change for ourselves and our families.

Think before you buy, especially fresh foods. Those clementines look luscious, but will you really eat a whole 5-pound bag?

Store your food properly and keep track of perishable items that migrate to the back of the fridge.

If you’ve got a lot of fresh veggies you need to use quickly, make some soup!

Have you tried composting? It’s fun and gratifying — you can even compost in the city. If that won’t work for you, check out the food waste disposal options in your community.