Spring Into Sustainability
Spring is all about new beginnings. It’s also a great opportunity to try something different or begin new habits (especially if those New Years’ resolutions barely made it past January 😇).
At 360 Eats, we’ve been spreading awareness about food waste, it’s detrimental impact on the environment, and steps we can take to reduce it, beginning in the communities where we live.
If food waste reduction is something you’ve recently taken an interest in, we’re happy you’re here. We’ve got three great tips for beginners to help get you started.
Shop for Spring Produce
Buying local produce when it’s in season has tons of benefits. For starters, it’s more affordable, fresher, and generally far better quality than the out-of-season stuff. From a sustainability standpoint, in-season fruits and veggies require less time and resources to transport, thus giving them a longer lifespan in your home once purchased. A longer lifespan means less of a chance for good food to go to waste.
The USDA has an awesome guide for what produce to purchase at specific times of the year. For fruits: apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, kiwi, citrus, pineapples, and strawberries will be fresh and delicious during spring. For veggies: asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, collard greens, kale, lettuce, radishes, and spinach are all great options. See the full list here.
2. Turn Food Scraps into Soil
Each spring, we love getting outside, enjoying the warmer weather, and gardening, of course. Did you know that leftover food scraps can be turned into rich, nutrient-dense soil to help grow even more produce?
Composting is a fantastic way to reduce food waste. The eggshells, citrus peels, and onion ends that normally get tossed would be put to far better use as soil rather than in a landfill.
If starting a small compost heap is of interest, give it a try this spring! It’s relatively easy to do and requires very few ingredients or effort.
The EPA lists the necessary ingredients to start an at-home compost pile in your backyard. All you need are “browns” (dry leaves, sticks/twigs, plain shredded paper or cardboard, wood chips); “greens” (fruit and vegetable scraps, grass clippings, coffee grounds, eggshells); water, air, and time.
You can also request a compost bin if you live in Clearwater or St. Pete.
3. Get involved in the Community
We will always accomplish more when we work together. If you’re planning to create some new habits to reduce food waste this spring, getting involved with organizations that share your values is the best way to stay amped up.
At 360 Eats, we not only rescue thousands of pounds of fresh food from local businesses, we also turn that food into free gourmet meals for the community. And we compost!
You can make an even bigger impact by becoming a supporter in whatever way feels best. We have donors contributing the funds we need to do the work, and we also have volunteers driving out to rescue the food, sort through it, and help cook or serve. There’s a place for every kind of food waste warrior here. We encourage you to reach out to us at info@360eats.org to join our mission!
Happy spring!