StopWaste offers resources to help Alameda County residents prevent household food waste
Wasted food is a growing problem in the United States with profound financial, social, and environmental impacts. Hayward residents can help prevent food waste and its negative effects by making small shifts in shopping, preparation, and food storage habits.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that over 100 billion pounds, or 30%-40% of the U.S.’s total food supply, ends up in landfills each year. That's enough to fill the Oakland Coliseum to the brim with wasted food every single day of the year. Landfilled food waste produces methane emissions, a greenhouse gas twenty-five times more harmful to our climate than carbon dioxide.
Although food is wasted throughout the supply chain, 43% of all wasted food in the United States comes from households. To help mitigate household food waste, StopWaste, the Alameda County Waste Management Authority, has developed tips and tools for shopping, preparing, and storing food that residents can use to help toss less, eat well, and save money.
For more information about StopWaste’s food waste prevention resources, visit www.StopFoodWaste.org.
