The Food Waste Impact on Earth Day

April 21, 2021

2 minutes, 12 seconds read

The Food Waste Impact on Earth Day

The issue of global warming has really started to heat up over the last few decades. 2021 has seen record temperatures despite pandemic shutdowns and February 2021 was the 16th-warmest February on record even though the central US states froze. We’ve experienced an increase in heat waves, sea levels, and temperatures across the globe. Carbon dioxide levels in the air are at their highest in 650,000 years. With such a hot issue at hand, it’s no wonder that the Biden Administration has invited 40 global leaders to a Leaders Summit on Climate to celebrate Earth Day.

Earth Day is held annually on April 22nd to demonstrate support for environmental protection. Like the 1 billion people in more than 193 countries that celebrated Earth Day last year, the Power Knot team has chosen to celebrate Earth Day 2021 by committing to the largest contributor to global warming: greenhouse gas reduction. 

Power Knot’s LFC biodigesters saved 26,700 tonne CO2e in 2020

Customers using our biodigesters diverted 6300 tonne (14 million lb) of organic waste from the landfill in 2020.

That is equivalent to driving an average passenger car in the US 106 million km (66 million miles) or the CO2e created by the energy used by 4800 homes in the US per year.

Though individual efforts to reduce food waste make a large impact, the largest contributors to the generation of food waste are businesses. 

Tackling Food Waste for Corporate Sustainability

Become aware of food waste pressure points.

No matter the business, food waste is generated from customers and staff. Certain areas of the facility, such as kitchens, breakrooms, and lobbies are more prone to food waste over other forms of waste. These areas should be identified so that appropriate trash bins can be placed.

Separate organic waste. 

It’s important to separate organic waste from regular waste for a number of reasons. Normal waste doesn’t mold or smell but food waste will generate odors, smells, and attract pests. Separating organic waste from other forms of waste will allow quicker disposal of food waste 

Dispose of waste in a sustainable manner. 

There are multiple ways that food waste can be diverted from the landfill. However, there are unique advantages and costs to each method. It’s up to each individual business to determine which solution works best for their unique needs.

Earth Day shouldn’t just be a direct call to action on a single day, or even a couple of days each year. It should be a recurring theme every day of every year. Every step in reducing your carbon footprint goes a long way. Contact us to learn how much CO2e you could be diverting by taking care of food waste with the LFC biodigester.