The Eco-Reps were back at it this year with the Annual Food Waste Weigh-In where they tracked the amount of scraps people throw into the compost of the dining hall. The data was collected in the Champlain College dining hall on April 3rd, 4th, and 6th from 5-6 pm during the dinner rush. Prior years they have tracked it for two hours at a time, so the numbers this year are a bit difficult to compare to one another. That said, there was an average of 31 pounds of food wasted per night per hour shift. This adds up to a total of 93 pounds wasted those three nights. To put it in perspective, it took an estimated 35,492 gallons of water, 23 gallons of fossil fuels, and 47 pounds of CO2 to produce those 93 pounds of food. Almost two families of four could have been fed with this food per night! Tips for reducing food waste: take small portions and then go back for more only when plate is empty, ask dining hall staff to make a plate that only has what you like on it, share with friends if you have anything left over, and practice mindful eating.

Want to learn more? Check out one of our favorite films, “Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story“.