April 5-9, 2021 is Florida Food Waste Prevention Week, and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has joined federal, state, and local agencies, businesses, non-profits, and other partners for the inaugural event. The campaign was designed to highlight the $165 billion in food discarded each year by Americans.
According to FDACS, 3.5 million Floridians suffer from chronic hunger, including 1 million children, while approximately 40 percent of the food produced in America goes to waste. This wasted food becomes the single largest category of trash in municipal landfills and the third-largest source of human-related methane emissions.
“Food insecurity has increased throughout this pandemic, with 1 in 5 Floridians facing chronic hunger, and more than 70 percent of Florida’s children eligible for free or reduced-price school meals. Yet as a state and nation, we waste billions in fresh food that instead of feeding our families is creating negative impacts on our climate,” said Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. “The power to reduce food waste, save money, help our hungry neighbors, and save the planet is all in our hands. During the first Food Waste Prevention Week, I encourage all Floridians to join us in doing their part to cut their food waste.”
This food waste prevention campaign includes downloadable toolkits, social media calendars, branded marketing materials, and more.
Video by City of Hollywood