Fighting Food Waste

SWACO pairs with the community to combat waste

What if you heard that you were throwing away $1,500 to $2,000 every year? You’d probably think this to be ludicrous, but unfortunately, it is a startling truth for the majority of families in central Ohio.

When most people think of trash, they think of paper and plastics. However, a study conducted by The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) found that the most substantial portion of landfill contents is from food waste. Upper Arlington and Grandview Heights both have ties to the organization and have been ramping up involvement over the last few years.

This observation was one of the many key insights that arose from the Waste Characterization Study conducted by SWACO, in which they sought to uncover solutions for the issues that cause solid waste build-up.

“(Food waste) accounts for about 15 percent of the waste stream, which is equivalent to a million pounds of food arriving at the landfill every day,” says Hanna Greer-Brown, communications manager at SWACO.

Although this statistic proves food waste reduction is a target, the process of eliminating this issue is not so simple. Food waste is a multifaceted matter, starting at the planting stage and reaching into stores and homes. To tackle this complex issue, SWACO solidified The Food Waste Action plan in 2019, which laid out more than 20 initiatives to combat the waste stream.

With these goals in mind, the Save More Than Food campaign was created, which works to educate central Ohioans about food waste and offers direct resources to help divert waste.

SWACO now works with over 100 partners, but Upper Arlington was one of the first communities to join them in their fight.

In an effort to understand more about the needs of the community, the city surveyed residents by asking how they would like to receive support with solid waste reduction. Performance analyst Katy Rees says the surveys helped shape their plan for the project.

“People started to mention that they would be interested in having a food waste collection program of some sort,” Rees says. “It all stemmed from that.”

Once this target was established, drop-off sites were created at various locations around town. At these sites, residents can bring any food waste – such as dairy, meat, coffee and other unwanted leftovers – and place them in food waste containers provided by SWACO, free of charge. These containers are located at three convenient locations around Upper Arlington, and they are replaced weekly to prevent overflow.

The sites were an immediate success, evident through a recent expansion of resources. What started as two drop-off locations with two bins, has now expanded to three drop-off locations with 17 bins. These sites are located at the Municipal and Fancyburg Park at 3375 Kioka Ave.

These sites have already done wonders in reducing waste, and Greer-Brown attributes much of their success to the responsiveness of community officials, such as those in UA.

“Communities have been very receptive,” Greer-Brown says. “They’re hearing from residents that they want to divert food waste so they’re actually approaching SWACO to (ask) what kind of solutions exist.”

This feedback is what kickstarted one of SWACO’s most popular events, the annual pumpkin collection that occurs each year between October and early December.

As fall festivities culminated, residents were eager to find smart ways to dispose of their decorations. They turned to the established food waste drop-off locations, but these bins quickly overflowed with gourds. To prevent food floods, a separate pumpkin donation program began.

“That just exploded immediately,” Rees says. “We started with just using giant cardboard boxes, and those filled up immediately. Then we went to dump

How can you implement this goal into your daily routine? Here are a few simple solutions to fight food waste:

Plan your meals: As tempting as it is to listen to your grumbling stomach rather than your head when making grocery decisions, don’t forget to write a list before your next trip to the store. Meal planning ensures you are only buying the essentials for each meal. Additionally, instead of buying in bulk, consider making smaller grocery runs for a limited number of meals.

Reimagine your leftovers: Saving leftovers doesn’t have to mean you need to repeat the same meals. Get creative with how you use your dinner remains. GreerBrown says you can formulate a range of recipes with the same simple ingredients, such as, “taking last night’s fajita diner and mixing it with eggs for an omelet in the morning.” trucks, and those filled up immediately. And so now we use the giant 20yard collection containers at the park.”

Freeze Spare Food: Freezing food extends its life for long periods of time. Most food can last in the freezer for up to six months. Whether it’s leftovers or forgotten fridge items, the freezer is a great alternative to the trash.

This pumpkin collection event, averaging about 52 tons of pumpkins each year, is just one example of how effectively the community has received the efforts of this campaign.

However, beyond drop-off locations, the campaign places an emphasis on education.

“We just have to make people aware that food waste is a problem,” Greer-Brown says, “and that there are actually really easy steps you can take to begin to prevent it.”

After receiving a grant from Kroger to create the Food Waste Warriors Program, SWACO implemented a foodbased informative agenda that introduces food waste prevention principles into elementary learning. This program teaches kids simple steps to prevent waste and has implemented hands-on learning experiences for students, such as a cafeteria composting program.

Although SWACO understands the importance of educating the youth, it also prioritizes city-wide education by distributing advertisements and provid

The success of food collection bins is encouraging, but those working on this campaign hope this is just the beginning.

“As much as our goal is always to expand these programs,” Reese says, “I think really the ultimate goal is to reduce waste in general.”

SWACO and the UA community are proud of the accomplishments of the Save More Than Food campaign, and are eager to expand efforts in the coming months. With the central Ohio community learning more about the dangers of food waste, the future of trash reduction is bright.

“Hopefully, someday, even though everybody has a bucket, and they’re setting it out on the curb, it’s not going to be full every week.” Rees says. “Because we’re going to learn how not to waste.”

Megan Brokamp is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@ cityscenemediagroup.com.