Alameda Sun – Thursday, December 8, 2022
by Holly Johnson
When Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383), which requires homes and businesses to separate food waste from trash, became law on the first of this year, Alamedans might not have noticed. The city’s waste management system has included curbside food waste composting for years. However, the new law highlights the urgency that state government places on fighting climate change and addressing food shortages and reminds all Californians of the role they can play.
The new law sets two ambitious goals for 2025: to reduce organic waste disposal by 75% and rescue for human consumption at least 20% of the amount of currently disposed surplus food. The urgency is clear. Organic waste is responsible for 20% of the methane produced in landfills today. Removing organic waste from landfills is as powerful as taking cars off the road, in terms of greenhouse gases.
Here are seven ways Alamedans can keep organic waste out of landfills:
- Buy only what is needed and eat what is bought! According to StopWaste.org, the average American household throws out 25% of the food they purchase – worth $1,600!
- Give away any extra produce from the garden – share with friends and neighbors or with the food insecure through Alameda Backyard Growers’ Project Pick!
- Separate organic waste from trash. Keep a list of what can go into the green bin handy. Here are a few less obvious items that can go into the bin: teabags with staple and string; natural sponges; gift tissue paper that can’t be reused; and all food scraps including meat, bones, oil, and grease.
- Carry home compostables rather than toss into the trash at the park or downtown.
- Compost at home to improve garden soil and capture carbon from the atmosphere.
- Encourage neighbors to compost, and work with multifamily housing management to do the same. Post guidelines for sorting trash, recyclables, and organic waste in the trash area.
- Watch what goes down the garbage disposal. Operating the disposal uses precious water resources and electricity. Scrape food from plates into a container for composting instead.
The value in recuperating surplus food to distribute to people who are hungry is equally clear. A Santa Clara County report states that of the six million tons of food waste that is dumped in landfills each year, one million tons are potentially edible and could be donated. At the same time, as many as nine million Californians are food insecure.
While Californian businesses are the ones charged with diverting edible surplus food away from landfills, thereby helping those in need, Californian shoppers can do their part by buying only what they can eat, and by not rejecting imperfect produce. Alamedans can also support the work of food recovery organizations here on the island, such as Alameda Food Bank and Food Shift.
Alameda Backyard Grower is dedicated to teaching our neighbors how to grow food. We offer online and in-person educational programming. Join our mailing list to receive our educational newsletters and information on classes and events, locate the Free Seed Library nearest you, or join Project Pick as a fruit picker or fruit donor. Contact ABG at info@alamedabackyardgrowers.org.
Holly Johnson is on the board of Alameda Backyard Growers.