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40% of all food in America is wasted.

In fact, food is the number one thing in America’s landfills. If global food waste were a country, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, behind China and the United States. Perhaps most surprisingly, the majority of food waste occurs at the household level. In the last three decades, the amount of food wasted per person in the United States has nearly doubled.

We can all do better.

Wasted food impacts the environment, the economy, and our communities. When food is wasted, so are all of the resources that went into producing that food—vast quantities of land, labor, water, fuel, and energy. If every San Diegan saved just one pound of food from
going to waste each month, in one year, the
carbon savings would be the equivalent of
planting 600,000 trees!

Learn About Food Waste

Reduce Food Waste At Home

The Freezer is Your Friend

Instead of throwing your leftovers or extra produce into the trash, hit the pause button by storing them in the freezer. They’ll keep their freshness and might help you put together a quick meal when you’re in a hurry.

Date Labels, Debunked!

Most date labels tell you about food quality, not food safety. Food can be safe to eat past its date label. Use smell, color, texture, and your best judgment to determine if food is still good to eat, rather than just relying on the date label.

Eat Me First

Create a designated “Eat Me First” section in your fridge—either a shelf, box, or basket—that is used to hold items that are about to go bad, or that have a short shelf life and need to be used quickly.

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Reduce Food Waste At Your Food Business

  • About 28% of all food waste occurs in consumer-facing businesses like grocery stores, restaurants, and other food service establishments.

  • A new state law, Senate Bill 1383, is requiring that certain foodservice industries donate surplus food.

  • In a study of 1,200 businesses, for every $1 invested in food loss and waste reduction, the median company realized a $14 return.

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