Reimagining Food Waste

Micah Elconin, Director of Eugene’s Table writes a regular column for the Register Guard that highlights his perspectives on regional F&B business.

Almost half of the United States food supply is destined for the landfill. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, on average, every single American is responsible for generating 219 pounds of food waste every year. Food waste is massive and it makes up 22% — that’s nearly one quarter — of all municipal waste in this country.

Here in Lane County, we are certainly contributing our share of food waste. Lane County throws away 45,987 tons of food each year and food waste accounts for the highest percentage of waste products by weight, reports the Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). This food waste contributes an equivalent to 27,944 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions into the environment. That’s roughly the same amount of emissions generated by 6,037 passenger vehicles, or combusting 3 million gallons of gasoline.