CMC Steamboat Spring’s student Mackenzie Dormer’s column on the ecological, economic and social impacts of food waste ran in the April 22, 2016 Community Agriculture Column of the Steamboat Pilot. Dormer organizes the Steamboat Spring’s campus’ Food Recovery Network chapter and organizes student volunteers and food recoveries.
We all eat. Unfortunately, we all throw away food. Every year, 40 percent of food produced in the United States is thrown away. When one in eight Colorado residents are food insecure, there needs to be more awareness about how food waste can be diverted to the people who need it. Food waste has major environmental, social and economic implications.
Food waste is the No. 1 item in landfills, which creates massive amounts of methane emissions from rotting foods. With 8 percent of Routt County residents living below the poverty line, all of the perfectly good food that goes to waste in landfills should be rerouted to families in need. Click for full article