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Food waste remains pressing issue throughout Greater LA

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After the burning of fossil fuels like gasoline and the waste from farm animals, decomposing food is the third largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. One third of the food produced in the world rots in the field, or in transport, or is simply thrown away by stores or consumers. As it decomposes in landfills, it produces gases which trap heat in the atmosphere, adding to the phenomenon termed “global warming.”

In the United States, a typical household wastes about $1,800 per year on food that isn’t eaten, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

Locally, the city of Los Angeles conducts free workshops to educate consumers on food waste prevention; the benefits of smart home gardening; and the science of composting food scraps. For a workshop schedule, visit lacitysan.org/compost workshops.

“Shop at home, basically,” said Dianah Scates of LA Sanitation and Environment, who spoke at a recent workshop held at the South LA Wetlands Environmental Education Center. She encouraged attendees to first open their kitchen cabinets, pantry, freezer and refrigerator to check what is already there.

After taking inventory of what is not needed, then make a shopping list and a budget and stick to it. A good portion of wasted food comes from impulse purchases.

“Sales and bulk purchases can be tempting,” according to one city flier shared at the workshop. “But if it doesn’t get eaten, savings go out with the compost.”

The flier also recommends that food be stored where it lasts longest. Frozen food will keep longer, of course. The bottom of the refrigerator is the coldest and is good for meat and the door is the warmest and is best for condiments.

Some food date labels (best by; enjoy by; best if used by) refer to quality more than food safety.

The “use by” label applies to a small number of products that are highly perishable. Those should be consumed by the date shown on the package.

According to the NRDC, manufacturers typically use the labels to indicate when a food is at its peak quality, even though it may be safe to eat long beyond the date on its package.

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