Food Recovery 101

Food production is putting increasing pressure on natural resources. Land and water use for growing food rose by more than 65% between 2000 and 2019, and more than 733 million people now live in countries facing high or critical levels of water stress. This stress can lead to conflicts over resource sharing at every level—from local to global.

Making matters worse, much of the food we grow is wasted. Food waste makes up 20–25% of municipal solid waste in the U.S., and roughly 40% of the country’s food supply ends up in landfills or other disposal facilities. This waste squanders the water, soil, and other resources used to produce food. As it decomposes, it generates nearly a quarter of U.S. methane emissions, a greenhouse gas with significantly greater warming potential than carbon dioxide (CO₂). Much of this methane is released into the atmosphere rather than captured.

• Buy only what you need to reduce food waste before it starts.
• Preserve food nearing expiration by canning, freezing, dehydrating, fermenting, or pickling it. The National Center for Home Food Preservation offers helpful resources and guidance.
• Donate surplus food to emergency food relief organizations or, when appropriate, to farms for animal feed. You can also volunteer with the Marion Institute’s Fields to Families gleaning program, which works with local farmers to harvest and rescue fresh produce and make it available to the community.
• Compost organic materials at home and encourage your town to offer curbside compost collection. Some Massachusetts communities already provide this service, and municipalities can explore partnerships with composting services such as Black Earth Compost.