Lane County’s “Simplify the Holidays” campaign hopes to help residents and businesses reduce food waste during the holiday season.
Over the past year, U.S. food prices have risen more than 10%, according to the Labor Department’s consumer price index (CPI). This data presents real challenges for people coming together during the holidays. Food waste only exacerbates the issue.
ReFed estimated that 305 million pounds of Thanksgiving food were thrown out in 2022.
Environmentally, producing this food generates more than 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, the same as driving 169,000 cars for an entire year.
The Lane County Solid Waste Management Plan lists food waste as the county’s highest individually categorized part of the waste stream at nearly 18%.
“Putting food on the table is not easy for many of our friends and neighbors,” said Daniel Hiestand, Lane County waste reduction outreach coordinator. “Fortunately, curbing food waste in households and businesses can dramatically help ease this burden.”
Lane County’s Eat Smart, Waste Less website (eatsmartwasteless.tips) can help people realize food waste savings
