PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — According to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, 70% of the food that Oregonians throw away could have been eaten if it weren’t allowed to spoil beforehand.
To raise awareness for the issues of food waste and insecurity, ODEQ co-sponsors Food Waste Prevention Week.
This year’s Food Waste Prevention Week runs from Monday, April 10, to Sunday, April 16 — and is backed by more than 500 partners that have joined the multistate effort to combat hunger.
ODEQ Senior Policy and Program Analyst Elaine Blatt and Food Conservation Alliance founder Elaine Fiore make up the planning committee for the national campaign.
“By shining a light on the benefits of preventing food waste, we hope Oregon households will learn approaches they can use right now to avoid throwing away food,” ODEQ Senior Policy and Program Analyst Elaine Blatt said in a statement. “It makes sense on so many levels, whether it’s spending less at the supermarket or reducing the use of chemical fertilizers to grow food that doesn’t get eaten.”
Apps like Careit and Fork it Over! already give Portland businesses a platform to ensure any surplus food doesn’t go to waste when there are still community members in need. But FWPW ushers in events that can further educate people on the importance of saving food and fostering healthier environments.
In Oregon, Lane County Waste Management is hosting a Save the Food Celebration in Eugene distillery Thinking Tree Spirits.
Other events, both virtual and in-person, will be held in the multiple cities participating in the campaign.