Washington State Department of Ecology
03/28/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/28/2024 16:42
'Use Food Well': New campaign seeks to reduce food waste in Washington
Department of Ecology News Release - March 28, 2024
'Use Food Well': New campaign seeks to reduce food waste in Washington
The statewide campaign supports Washington's goal to cut food waste in half by 2030
Chef Joel is partnering with Ecology to celebrate the Use Food Well launch and share innovative recipes that reduce food waste and increase creativity in the kitchen.
LACEY -
Each year, Washington generates one million tons of food waste, including half a million tons of edible food. That's enough food to make 105 meals for every person in Washington.
On April 1, the Washington Department of Ecology will launch the Use Food Well campaign in conjunction with the start of National Food Waste Prevention Week, April 1 to 7. Partnering with the national campaign, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee also proclaimed this to be Food Waste Prevention Week in the state, encouraging everyone to commit to reducing food waste.
Reducing food waste can increase food security, reduce climate impacts, and help Washington residents save money. The campaign launch and includes webpages and resources to help individuals and families plan meals, shop smart, and store food properly.
Joel Gamoran, sustainable chef and host of the new PBS show Homemade Live, is partnering with Ecology and the Washington State Food Center on the campaign to get people excited about using food well. You can do this by reducing waste, finding recipes and techniques to use every scrap of food in our refrigerators.
"Waste-free cooking is really a lifestyle of finding value where others don't," said Gamoran. "We can all be part of the solution and use food well."
"Washington has set an ambitious goal to cut food waste in half by 2030 - and helping people shop smarter and use food wisely is the most important thing we can do to reach that goal." said Laura Watson, Ecology's director.
The Use Food Well campaign focuses on preventing food waste through simple steps like smart shopping, meal planning, and proper food storage.
"We want to reach people right in the grocery aisle, so they think about using food well and reducing waste before the food even gets to their refrigerator," said Jade Monroe, lead for the Washington State Food Center.
"Research shows that people don't like to waste food-and that learning a few simple strategies can help them to achieve that. This saves money, protects the environment, and helps to ensure that everyone in our communities has access to healthy food."
Starting in April, shoppers will see the campaign in Safeway and Albertsons stores across Washington.
"We are proud to support the Department of Ecology with this educational campaign," said Sara Osborne, Safeway's Public & Government Affairs Director. "This partnership is a unique way for us to continue our sustainability efforts and help our shoppers be part of the solution."
Join our media tour!
The Use Food Well campaign is celebrating the launch with media opportunities in the Seattle-Tacoma, Spokane, and Tri-Cities media markets. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to [email protected].
Seattle Media Meal Prep Demo
Who: Jade Monroe, Washington State Department of Ecology Food Center lead, and Celebrity Chef Joel Gamoran
What: Media availability at Chef Gamoran's studio kitchen in Seattle to launch Ecology's Use Food Well campaign
When: 10:00 a.m.,Mon., April 1, 2024
Where: 71 Columbia St, Suite 125, Seattle WA, 98104
Spokane Media Meal Prep Demo
Who: Jade Monroe, Washington State Department of Ecology Food Center lead, Emily Menshew, 2nd Harvest Nutrition Education Associate, and Eric Williams, 2nd Harvest Community Partnerships Director
What: Media availability at 2nd Harvest Headquarters test kitchen to launch Ecology's Use Food Well Campaign in Spokane.
When: Morning shows 4:30 a.m. - 8 a.m., Wed., April 3, 2024.
Where: 1234 E Front Ave, Spokane, WA, 99202
Kennewick Media Availability
Who: Jade Monroe, Washington State Department of Ecology Food Center lead, Emily Menshew, 2nd Harvest Nutrition Education Associate, and Eric Williams, 2nd Harvest Community Partnerships Director
What: Media availability at 2nd Harvest Mobile Market in Kennewick, WA.
When: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Wed., April 3, 2024.
Where: 4445 S Olympia St. Kennewick, WA
Learn more
The campaign launch includes webpages and resources to help individuals and families plan meals, shop smart, and store food properly. Go to UseFoodWell.org to learn more.