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There are some environmental issues that are debatable, but one issue is undeniably true and bad: food waste. Food should not be in a landfill.  How can we condone the waste of food when 1.02 billion people are hungry in the world-and we’re not talking college kids with the munchies. This is serious actually. Sadly, each day 16,000 children die of hunger related issues (bread.org). Aside from the fact that it is heartless and selfish to waste food when other people are hungry, it is also senseless to impact the Earth for no reason. Sport utility vehicles aren’t the only thing with a carbon footprint, food does too. Before food arrives in our kitchen, it makes an impact on the planet through farming practices (fertilizer, pesticides, top soil loss, tractor fuel), transportation (to the processing/packaging facility, to the store, to our homes), processing, and packaging. And when we throw food away, it ends up in a landfill. Let’s recap all the good reasons not to waste.

Why Food Waste is Bad:

1. It shows complete disregard for those who do not have any food to eat

2. The process of producing the unused food leaves a carbon foot print

3. It fills up landfills

4. It is a waste of money

What we can do to stop waste:

1. Only buy what is needed

2. If you grow your own, donate the extra to a local food bank

3. Compost the unusable food (don’t throw it away)

D.I.Y. Compost Bin

As many ways as there are to waste, there are compost bins available. There are a variety of snazzy ones that are for sale, but you can also make one yourself. Some people recommend that the compost container be above ground to allow for better air flow. We chose to bury ours so as to not attract too many critters and bugs. Here’s how we did it:

1. Drill holes in the bottom and 2/3 of the way up the sides of a metal garbage can

2. Dig a hole in the ground deep enough to bury the garbage can within a few inches of the opening

3. Place your bin in the hole and secure the lid with a bungee (think raccoons)

4. Compost food waste (excluding meat, dairy, diseased plants, & animal feces)

5. When the bin is full, leave it for 6 months to a year and you will have compost.

6. Start a second bin so you will always have a place for your scraps to go

Tips: If it gets soggy, remove the lid or add strips of paper (not plastic coated or heavily printed).  The compost is ready when it smells earthy (not stinky), the original materials are unrecognizable (except for stems), it is dark and crumbly.

Thank you for your first contribution to our lives, apple rinds, wilted lettuce, and egg shells. Please come back to us again as Black Gold…