Ways to Reduce Food Waste and Save Money

Ramona Madhosingh-Hector,
Urban Sustainability Agent
  
It’s a fact that Americans enjoy a disposable way of life. From cups to paper towels to cans and bottles, we are a throwaway culture. Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop there, we also throw away a lot of food. Did you know that reducing food waste saves money and resources?

The “food-print” analysis of the average American reveals that on average, a family of four will spend about $190 a week on food and throw away 40% of it. That’s a loss of $76 a week or $3,952 a year!

Feeding the still growing U.S. population requires an enormous amount of land and resources. If you consider the added costs for water and fuel to produce and transport food, you’ll realize that billions of dollars are lost when we throw away food. Last month, the Natural Resources Defense Council estimated that almost $165B is set aside to produce food that will be thrown out! These staggering statistics should encourage us to be more mindful of what we purchase, how much we actually consume, and how much gets thrown out.

To reduce food waste, try one of the tips below.

Shop wisely (at the grocery store) – Avoid “impulse buys” and definitely don’t buy more than what you need. If you see items on sale, perishable or not, and you “stock up” but don’t use the item and the food is thrown away, then your “potential” dollar savings is also thrown away.

Use Leftovers – If you eat out, be sure to take home your leftovers, they’ll make a good second meal for lunch or dinner the next day. You can also freeze it if you don’t plan to consume immediately. I recommend removing the leftovers from the restaurant packaging and placing in a freeze-proof container. Better yet, take your own container to the restaurant for your leftovers.

If you eat in and made extra portions for dinner, be sure to package for lunch or freeze for consumption later in the week or month.

Appearance Guilt – As consumers, we are often drawn to the perfect tomato, green pepper or apple but did you know that imperfect fruit and vegetables have the same nutritional value as their perfect counterparts? You may even be able to get a reduced price for these items at a farmers’ market because of the shape or size.

Shop your fridge or pantry – If you have items in your refrigerator that may be approaching the “use by” date or multiples of one item in the pantry, be sure to use these to create interesting new dishes. Visit the Solutions for Your Life website for new recipes.

Compost - To use your waste for a good purpose, start a compost heap to manage your food scraps. More information on the benefits of composting is available here.


For more tips on curbing food waste, check out the resources provided below.

Natural Resources Defense Council
www.nrdc.org

United States Department of Agriculture
www.usda.gov

United States Department of Agriculture Center for Nutrition Policy and Program http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/
www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

No Cook Recipes 

Low Energy Cooking

Earthcache – A Fun and Free Activity

Lara Miller, Natural Resource Agent
Michael Barr, Brooker Creek Preserve Intern  

Looking for a fun new reason to get outside and explore nature? The Brooker Creek Preserve Earthcache is for anyone interested in a fun, family-friendly outdoor scavenger hunt and is a great way to experience some of the natural beauty that Pinellas County has to offer. The Earthcache is part of Geocaching, which is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices. Participants use GPS coordinates to navigate to a certain location and attempt to find the Geocache located there. An Earthcache, like the one located at Brooker Creek, is a special type of Geocache that does not have a physical “treasure” at the coordinates. Earthcachers learn about interesting natural features and unique Earth science lessons. Earthcaches are a great way to discover some beautiful and unique places that you wouldn’t normally visit and learn more about our amazing world.

The Brooker Creek Preserve Earthcache takes visitors on a tour of some of the wonderful natural sites found at the preserve. Brooker Creek Preserve is the largest remaining wilderness area in Pinellas County and consists of a wide variety of habitats and landscapes. The Earthcache includes a pleasant, shaded walk through the diverse ecological communities that are found at the Preserve including wetlands, pine flatwoods, and oak hammocks. Along the way, visitors will be able to observe the native plants and animals that take refuge within the preserve. Information on these habitats and wildlife is included on the Brooker Creek Earthcache page. Also included on the Earthcache are a series of scavenger hunt questions meant to teach visitors a little about these environments. The answers to these questions are found at three different GPS coordinates located at three different areas of interest along one of the trails at the preserve.

If you love experiencing and exploring nature, participating in an Earthcache offers an exciting new way to discover fascinating natural places. Brooker Creek Preserve is truly a special place that showcases the natural beauty of Florida. If you are interested in participating, the Brooker Creek Preserve Earthcache page can be found here.

Stay up to date on news and information affecting our environment by following your Pinellas County Natural Resource Extension Agent on Twitter.

Ask Extension!

  
Mary Campbell,
Extension Director
and Urban Sustainability Agent
  
Do you want answers to your questions from a local source that you can trust? If you are looking for the ease of access that the internet provides, look no further than www.ASKExtension.org. This online database of frequently asked questions provides answers to many questions that Extension hears all the time. With this tool, you'll get the quick and easy answer that you are looking for from one of our experts. UF Faculty at Extension have expertise in sustainable living, health and wellness, horticulture, energy, environmentally friendly practices, natural resource conservation, youth and much more.

Once you access the webpage at www.ASKExtension.org, click on the category drop down list and look for the subject that you are interested in. If you would rather search by key words, type them into the search box and the available questions and answers will pop up. What if you do not see your question? Look at the top navigation and click on Contact. A page will pop up that allows you to put in a name, e-mail address and your specific question. You will get an answer as easy as that! Don’t be shy – try it today.

It has never been easier to get science-based, factual information from a reliable source. Get the facts you need at the click of a mouse!

Please take the NEW ASKExtension.org SURVEY.

September is Food Safety Month: Separate the Myths from the Facts

By Nan Jensen, Extension Agent
Family and Consumer Sciences

We do our best to serve our families food that’s safe and healthy, to reduce their risk of food borne illness, a serious public health issue that causes approximately one in six Americans to get sick each year. Washing our hands, clean and sanitizing work surfaces, keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold, and cooking foods to the proper internal temperature are some of the steps we can take to ensure that our food is safe to eat.

Sometimes though, we don’t have all the facts right. Here are some common myths from The Partnership for Food Safety Education about food safety that might surprise you.

Myth # 1-“If I microwave the food, the microwaves kill the bacteria so the food is safe.”

Fact #1- Microwaves are not what kill bacteria- it’s the heat generated by the microwaves that kills bacteria in foods. Food needs to be heated to a safe internal temperature. Always check for a safe internal temperature after microwaving. Use a thermometer!

Myth # 2- “Of course I wash all the bagged lettuce and greens- I could get sick if I don’t.”

Fact #2- While it is important to wash most fresh fruits and veggies, packaged greens labeled “ready-to-eat”, “washed” or “triple washed” do NOT need to be washed at home.

Myth # 3- “I don’t need to use a food thermometer. I can tell when my food is cooked by looking at it or checking the temperature with my finger.”

Fact #3- The only sure way to know food is safely cooked is to check the temperature with a food thermometer and confirm it has reached a safe internal temperature.

Myth # 4-“I can’t re-freeze foods after I have thawed them. I have to cook them or throw them away.”

Fact #4- If raw foods such as meat, poultry, egg products and seafood have been thawed in the refrigerator, then they may be safely re-frozen without cooking for later use.


For more information on handling food safely visit http://www.foodsafety.gov/ or http://www.fightbac.org/campaigns/mythbusters for more on food safety myths.

Grilled or Fried? Consumer Seafood Survey

  
Libby Carnahan,
Pinellas County Sea Grant Extension Agent  

Popcorn shrimp, smoked mullet, blackened mahi mahi, grouper piccata…no matter how you sauté it, smoke it, fry it, or grill it, Florida offers many tasty seafood options. But how do you decide what seafood to eat and where to buy it? Is it the cost, health benefits, or origin of your seafood that weighs on your mind?

The University of Florida Extension Service and Florida Sea Grant want to know. We are asking for the input of Florida residents on a statewide consumer survey, which should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. Your feedback will help in the development of future university extension education and outreach programs.

http://www.flseagrant.org/component/content/article/16-seafood-production-and-safety/315-seafood-survey

Sign up for The Water Column, Pinellas Sea Grant Extension Newsletter
Follow UF Pinellas SeaGrant on Twitter

What’s Happening in Your Watershed?

Lara Miller, Natural Resource Agent  
Michael Barr, Brooker Creek Preserve Intern  

The Tri-County Water School will be held at Brooker Creek Preserve on September 11-12, 2012. This program is designed to educate community leaders, natural resource managers, and decision makers about critical water issues facing Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough Counties. The goal is to encourage improved public policy decision relative to water issues in the counties and throughout Florida. Registration information can be found at www.tricountywaterschool.eventbrite.com.

Florida’s rapidly growing population and vulnerability to changes in water quality and quantity make it essential to understand and address the current issues and future concerns facing our region. Water resources affect not only the availability of clean drinking water, but also agriculture, fisheries, aquatic life, recreation, and the tourism industry. Water is a vital resource in need of protection for the health of Florida’s citizens and economy.

Many complex factors have an impact on the Florida’s water resources. One such factor is the amount of pollution in a watershed. All the land on Earth is divided into watersheds that feed into rivers, springs, lakes, wetlands, estuaries, coastal zones, and aquifers from which a vast majority of Floridians get their drinking water. Contamination occurs as rainfall and storm water runoff flows through agricultural, urbanized and other developed areas, picking up chemicals, bacteria, and other pollutants before draining into a body of water. Improved understanding of watersheds and other factors impacting water quality and quantity is necessary for resolving water resource issues and developing sustainability strategies.

Stay up to date on news and information affecting our environment by following your Pinellas County Natural Resource Extension Agent on Twitter.

Explore the Florida Climate

Mary Campbell, Extension Director
and Urban Sustainability Agent    

Is there such a thing as too much information? In the area of climate change, many would say “yes”. There is an abundance of information on climate variability from many sources. It can be confusing to know what information is reliable and from a trusted source. There are several reliable resources that Extension recommends if you want to understand more about the science of climate change.

The Florida Climate Institute (FCI), is a network of national and international research and public organizations, scientists, and individuals concerned with achieving a better understanding of climate variability and change. The FCI, founded in 2010 by the University of Florida and Florida State University, has over 200 members. FCI provides many resources including an “Environmental Minute” radio show available online that provides information on sea level rise, sustainability, and climate patterns.

Climate variability and change pose significant economic, food security, and environmental risks worldwide. Drought, storms with heavy rain, high winds, flooding, and freeze events cause millions of dollars in losses to agriculture and natural resources in Florida and globally. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts that by the year 2100 global average temperature is likely to increase by 2 to 11.5°F, global mean sea level will rise from 7 to 23 inches, and increases in precipitation intensity and variability will increase the risk of both flooding and drought.

For up to date climate change information choose a reliable resource, such as the Florida Climate Institute ( http://floridaclimateinstitute.org/ ), EPA (http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/), NASA (http://climate.nasa.gov/) or NOAA (http://www.noaa.gov/climate.html). Critical information is now available to better inform citizens of potential impacts due to climate variability and change.

NASA Video illustrates warming.

Florida State Climatologist http://climatecenter.fsu.edu/ Offers Florida Climate Summary, Seasonal Climate Outlooks, Information on topics of concern (agriculture, climate change, climate variability, and drought.)

Agroclimate http://www.agroclimate.org/- a climate-based decision support system for agriculture.

Southeast Climate Consortium http://www.seclimate.org/

NASA videos. http://nas-sites.org/americasclimatechoices/summaries-and-videos-from-the-acc-series/climate-change-lines-of-evidence-videos/