WWF Expands Food Waste Education Program to Nine Major US Cities

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is expanding Food Waste Warriors, its program aimed at educating students and school staff about the impacts of wasted food and its impact on the environment. Beginning this month, WWF consultants and contractors will be implementing the program at schools in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Columbus, Denver, Indianapolis, Nashville, Phoenix, Portland (Oregon), and Seattle.

The expanding footprint of food and agriculture represents one of the biggest threats to biodiversity on the planet. Even more problematic, it’s estimated that the US wastes 63 million tons of food every year. A large percentage of this food waste ends up in landfills where it emits harmful methane greenhouse gas emissions, while also wasting water, energy and wildlife habitat that was sacrificed to grow [wasted] food. WWF believes one way to fight food waste is to make changes in consumer-facing businesses and institutions where significant quantities of waste occur, including schools. School cafeterias are a major institutional food-service provider, serving more than 31 million meals per day to students in over 100,000 schools.

“Turning the cafeteria into a classroom allows students to immediately see and understand the impact of what they throw away, empowering them to make changes and to be tomorrow’s leaders on food waste reduction,” said Pete Pearson, WWF’s Director of Food Waste. “We are grateful to have an amazing team of professionals across the country helping us bring this program to schools.”

In 2017 and 2018, WWF conducted a pilot program in Washington, DC and engaged schools across the city to understand the best ways to introduce WWF’s curriculum and begin food waste audits in schools. The program consists of lessons, activities and resources that impart the challenges and possibilities of reducing food waste by teaching students to measure what’s getting tossed from their own lunch trays. Lessons are provided free of charge in this online toolkit and can be adjusted for grades 3-12.

To help teachers and administrators more easily implement this program, our team of Food Waste Warriors in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Columbus, Denver, Indianapolis, Nashville, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle are working to provide lessons and conduct food waste audits at no cost to schools. Public and private schools are both encouraged to participate.

This program is possible as a result of funding from The Kroger Co. Foundation and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A grant from the EPA Region 4 enabled the start of the Food Waste Warrior program in Atlanta. A grant from The Kroger Co. Foundation, which aligns with Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste social impact plan, is supporting the additional communities.

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