Methane, a potent greenhouse gas 21
times more potent than carbon dioxide for having the potential of causing or
continuing global warming, is created by rotting food disposed in a landfill as
it decomposes.
Methane is also a flammable gas that can become dangerous if
allowed to build up in concentration.
“Landfills are a major source of
human-related methane in the United States, accounting for more than 20 percent
of all methane emissions.” This is due to organic material, such as food
scraps, having been thrown into the landfill to decompose. Eventually, this
type of decomposition releases methane.
“According to the Natural Resources
Defense Council, discarded food worth nearly $165 billion annually is rotting
in municipal landfills.” In fact, Americans discard more food per year than
paper, plastic, metal, wood, or glass.
You can help keep food and organic waste out of landfills.
- Shop wisely and only buy what you need
- Cook only what is needed at for a meal
- Eat leftovers
- Buy perfectly good fruits and vegetables even if they are an odd shape
- Donate perfectly good but unused food
- Compost all organic material that you can
Reducing the amount of food initially purchased is always best. For more information on waste and recycling visit www.wasteawaygroup.com.
Epa.gov
nrdc.org
CNBC.com
washingtonpost.com
environmentvictoria.org.au
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