Example_L_pledge_form.pdf
PDF 699 KB Posted
- Attached to
- Printing Services for Solid Waste & Recycling
- Solicitation number
- 2021.044Q
- Issued by
- Washington County, Oregon
About this file
This document is a food waste reduction challenge pledge form and informational guide created collaboratively by several local government entities in Oregon, including the Cities of Beaverton and Gresham, Washington County Solid Waste & Recycling, and Clackamas County. The document provides a comprehensive four-week challenge for households to track and reduce food waste, offering five key strategies: shopping with meals in mind, preparing food in advance, storing produce optimally, consuming existing ingredients before purchasing more, and measuring actual food waste. The challenge materials highlight that 40% of food in America is wasted, with the average U.S. household discarding 20% of purchased food, equating to approximately $1,500 in wasted food annually for a family of four.
The challenge includes a detailed tracking worksheet where participants can record daily food waste, categorize types of wasted food, document reasons for waste, and measure waste using methods like estimation, graduated containers, or weighing. Participants are incentivized to complete an online survey about their food waste reduction efforts, with the possibility of winning a prize. The document emphasizes the broader environmental and social implications of food waste, noting that wasting food also wastes land, water, energy, and labor resources, while simultaneously highlighting that one in six Oregon residents experience food insecurity. The materials are designed to encourage small, actionable changes in household food management practices.
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Take the Eat Smart, Waste Less Challenge
40% of food in America is wasted.
The average U.S. household never eats 20% of the food they purchase. That’s like going to the store, buying five bags of groceries and leaving one in the parking lot. For a family of four, that adds up to an average of $1500 in wasted food every year!
Wasting food wastes more than money. It also wastes the land, water, energy, and labor that goes into making the food. At the same time, one in six people living in Oregon are food insecure.
Here are 5 great ways to reduce your household’s food waste.
Try the ideas that make sense for your family:
1. Shop with meals in mind Make a list with meals in mind and only get what you think you’ll use. Try to avoid “deals” if you won’t end up eating what you buy,
2. Prep now and eat later Prepare ingredients in advance to save time, effort and money. Try cooking several meals at once and freezing the rest for a later date.
3. Keep it fresh Store fruits and vegetables where they will last the longest.
4. Eat what you buy Use up leftovers and ingredients on hand before you buy more. Create an “Eat this first” section in your fridge.
5. Measure your wasted food Measure how much food your family wastes over four weeks. You might be surprised!
Visit www.EatSmartWasteLess.com for more information.
Which strategies will you try? Check the ways you (and your family) will try to reduce your food waste.
Shop with meals in mind.
Prep now and eat later.
Keep it fresh.
Eat what you buy.
Measure your wasted food.
Households are the largest contributors to food waste in the US, followed by consumer-facing businesses like restaurants and grocery stores. By making small changes, we can all help solve the problem of food waste!
Take the Challenge! Fill out your information on this side, and check your food waste reduction strategies on the other side.
Name: Zip Code:
Email:
HOW MUCH FOOD WAS
WASTED?
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
W
EE
K
W
EE
K
W
EE
K
W
EE
K
Keep track of the food you waste for the next 4 weeks. Think about these questions:
What did you throw out? List foods that you are throwing out often:
Why was food wasted? List reasons that food was not eaten (didn’t like it, forgot about it, etc.)
How much food was wasted? Measure only food that could have been eaten, like food scraped from plates or taken out of the fridge or pantry. Do not measure what you wouldn’t have eaten, like peels or bones. Choose one of the following methods to measure wasted food and write down the total at the end of each day:
• Take a picture or make an estimate. Is it more, less, or the same as previous days?
• Use a container, like a graduated cylinder. How much food does it contain?
• Use a scale, and weigh your food each day.
Write the results in the table on the right, and put it on your refrigerator. Answer our online survey questions for the chance to win a prize!
Track your food waste
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