An estimated 30-40 percent of the food in the United States goes to waste. This staggering amount of discarded food gives rise to a myriad of environmental problems, posing threats to food security, and the overall environment, and exacerbating the challenges associated with climate change. When food ends up in landfills and decomposes, it releases methane—a greenhouse gas that is more potent than carbon dioxide. Reducing food waste would result in a substantial reduction of approximately 6%-8% in human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.
Recognizing that food waste has become a national issue, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated the Draft National Strategy which aims to cut food loss and waste by 50% by 2030.
Businesses play a vital role in shaping consumer choices and behavior. The USDA and EPA instituted the Food Recovery Challenge in 2016 to provide an incentive to businesses that actively participate. Businesses that committed to a 50% reduction in food waste in this challenge were awarded technical assistance for measuring food waste, assessing the positive environmental benefits of waste reduction, and recognized for their impactful contributions. Though widely successful, this challenge was shut down in 2022 and merged into the Draft National Strategy as U.S. Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champions.
The U.S. Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champions stands as a collaborative effort among federal agencies aimed at mitigating food loss and waste. It advocates for collective responsibility in diminishing both food waste and the associated carbon footprint.
The U.S. Food Loss and Waste Champions’s Winners are recognized as sustainability leaders who made a public commitment to reduce food loss and waste in their operations in the United States by 50 percent.
Here are five simple steps to become a U.S. Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champion.
- Commit and Set Goals:
Establish specific goals for achieving a 50% reduction in food loss and waste by 2030.
- Implement Strategies:
Apply effective strategies across sourcing, storage, distribution, and waste management to align with your reduction goals.
- Collaborate and Engage:
Engage with stakeholders, suppliers, and the community to foster collaboration and shared commitment.
- Measure and Track Progress:
Implement reliable data systems to measure and track progress, ensuring transparency and accountability.
- Apply to be a Champion:
When ready, submit your application to officially join the U.S. Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champions community, sharing details about your initiatives and commitment.
While it may be easy to take the first few steps, many companies find difficulty in executing programs and measuring their efforts. Forward-looking businesses have looked towards modern waste management tools such as food waste digesters which offer onsite waste solutions with built-in data tracking.
These machines break down food waste and transform it into grey water that can be safely discharged down the drain. Most recently, the LFC biodigester has achieved NTEP Certification which is a requirement for reporting waste data to government agencies.
Contact Power Knot to learn how the LFC biodigester can help your business become the next U.S. Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champion.