The Food Matters Beginner's Guide

Up to 40 percent of food in the United States is wasted. Producing food that we don’t consume also swallows up roughly 20 percent of America’s cropland, fertilizers, and agricultural water—and generates greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 37 million passenger vehicles each year. Yet, 41 million Americans lack consistent access to adequate and nutritious food. But the solutions to the enormous challenge of food waste are often well within reach, and their implementation can have substantial positive impacts, particularly at the local level. By reducing the amount of food that is thrown out, cities can stabilize their waste management costs and make progress toward climate and sustainability goals. By rescuing surplus food, municipalities can address food gaps in local communities. And by recycling food scraps, cities can minimize what goes into landfills and incinerators.