Page 3 - Everyday Kitsap 2017

ENVIRONMENTAL

Waste Not, Want Not

Keep your food and money out of the trash

hether it’s sour milk, limp
carrots or that forgotten
restaurant take-out
Wcontainer in the back of
the fridge, chances are you’ve wasted
food this week. And you’re not alone.
Americans waste about 25 percent of
all food and drink we buy. It’s a growing
problem with significant financial and
environmental impacts. When we
throw away food, we also waste all the
water, energy and fuel used to produce,
package and transport food from the
farm to our plates.
The average American wastes 209 to
254 pounds of edible food each year.
That is a huge waste of resources and
costs a family of four about $130 a
month. Yet most people don’t realize
they waste that much. We can all make leftovers organized and dated in the trees or other produce crops growing
a big difference for our grocery budgets fridge will create a food waste on their property. In some cases, the
and the environment, by wasting less conscious habit. tree-fall fruit and produce is left to rot.
food. Here are some great tips! Understanding expiration dates Contact a local gleaning co-op instead.
In most cases, these volunteer groups
Shop smart Date labels are confusing and can lead will come out, harvest the crops and
Plan your meals for the week before to needlessly throwing away good food. donate them to a local food bank. Want
going to the grocery store. Make a list With the exception of infant formula, to harvest for yourself, but won’t eat it
beforehand, and only buy what’s on they pertain to product quality, not all? Take the surplus food to the local
the list. This saves money, since having food safety. A Sell-By date tells the food bank.
a list means you’ll be less likely to grab store how long to display the product
random items. Choose fresh foods that for sale. You should buy the product Compost
freeze well if there’s a chance you won’t before the date expires. But you can Food scraps are often unavoidable. Two-
get around to eating them in time. still store it at home for some time thirds of Kitsap County households have
The length of time that food will last beyond that date, as long as you follow access to curbside food and yard debris
depends on how fresh it was when you safe storage procedures. A Best if Used programs. Use a convenient kitchen
bought it. Local, in-season produce will By (or Before) date is recommended compost container to transport all types
last much longer than produce that has for best flavor or quality. It is not a of food scraps, including meat and
been shipped a long way. purchase or safety date. A Use-By date dairy, to your curbside compost cart.
is the last date recommended for the Remember to remove all packaging.
Eat those leftovers use of the product while at peak quality. You can buy back the compost from
The most preferable way to keep food The date has been determined by the local producers as a beneficial soil
waste out of the landfill is to eat it! manufacturer of the product. amendment for your lawn and garden.
Make an “eat soon” container or section Compost vegetative food scraps at
in the fridge for ripe produce, leftovers, Harvest for good home if you don’t have curbside access.
and other items that are hovering In mixed urban-rural communities like
around their freshness peak. Keeping Kitsap County, many residents have fruit

KitsapGov.com | Spring 2017 | pg 3