MINIMIZE FOOD WASTE
Most food has a big carbon footprint, so before you donate or compost, try not to waste it in the first place.
Take time to learn about how to minimize food waste in your kitchen before, during and after you prepare food.
Check out resources about meal planning, understand expiration dates, learn proper storage techniques, and try some new recipes to use up what’s left.
LOCAL RESOURCE:
Learn about Expiration Dates from Feeding Westchester
Check out Save the Food.com
15 Recipes For Leftover Veggies
Check out the food waste hierarchy
COMPOST FOOD SCRAPS
Food scraps make up about 25% of our waste stream but are put to much better use when allowed to break down into fertile organic matter and used to enhance soil for growing plants and food. Make sure you have a small bin in your kitchen to collect food scraps and make a plan for how you want to dispose of them:
- Create a backyard compost pile
- Collect in an outdoor bin and Bedford residents may drop off at the Recycling Center
- Collect in an outdoor bin and sign up for weekly curbside pick up
If you create a backyard pile you should not include meat, fish, oils or bones here and you may want to collect those items for drop off or curbside pick up.
Bedford 2030 can set you up for food scrap recycling success. We sell compost kits and compostable bags and we have partners in area stores who will sell you an at-home composter at a discounted price.
LOCAL RESOURCES:
Bins for curbside or drop off programs for sale at the Bedford 2030 office. Call 914-620-2411 or email to arrange to come by.
Acceptable/Unacceptable Items for Drop Off or Curbside Programs
How to:
DONATE EXCESS FOOD
People go hungry every day in Westchester, yet plenty of perfectly good food gets wasted. Organizations are working to make sure food goes to those who need it. Find out more about where you can donate non-perishables, excess food from events, or fruits and veggies from your garden; how to volunteer to glean food on a farm or to help organizations working with stores and restaurants to donate extra food.
LOCAL RESOURCES:
Donate food or volunteer:
Community Center of Northern Westchester
YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE SAVING
“Dropping off food scraps at the Recycling Center is easy and because we avoid waste, recycle and compost, we have almost nothing in our trash bin.”