Have you ever stopped to wonder just how much food you’re tossing in the trash? According to a recent paper published by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Americans are throwing away approximately $165 billion in food each year, which amounts to about 40% of food in the U.S. On Saturday, November 12, Go Green Northbrook and the Northbrook Public Library are bringing a national issue to local attention with the first ever Food Waste Fair.
“Most wasted food ends up in a landfill, where it contributes to methane emissions,” said librarian Jill Franklin, one of the coordinators of the Food Waste Fair. “Wasting food also wastes the water, energy, and labor that goes into making that food. We want to get the word out about what you can do to avoid throwing away perfectly edible food."
To help inform the community, Franklin and Go Green Northbrook members Tracey Becker and Tara Wesselink discussed the idea of a food waste symposium, eventually developing the Food Waste Fair, which will run from 10:00am to 2:00pm on November 12.
To kick off the Food Waste Fair, visitors can attend a free screening of the documentary Just Eat It, which explores the humorous story of a Canadian couple who spend six months living off food that would normally be thrown away. The documentary will be screened at 10:00am in the Auditorium.
“We want people to learn just how extensive the food waste problem is. It’s astonishing,” said Franklin. “[The film] does a great job of illustrating the scope of the issue.”
Following the film, visitors can stop by various exhibits and demonstrations to get a hands-on look at what it means to reduce food waste. In addition to exhibits on composting and determining food freshness, visitors can watch a TED Talk on food waste and the short film Not Really Expired, which discusses the truth about food labels. Visitors can also purchase books about food waste from the Book Bin, and can pick up information on the Northfield Food Pantry, Chicago Food Swap, and Go Green Northbrook while strolling through the fair. The exhibits open at 11:00am.
“There are lots of ways to curb food waste at every stage, whether it’s composting, donating food, or simply being smarter about what you buy,” said Franklin. “That’s the hopeful side of all of this. Food waste is a problem that is easy to prevent in resolve in your own home.”
The Library and Go Green Northbrook encourage everyone to attend this free event and take the steps to reduce food waste in the community. There is no registration required to attend the Food Waste Fair.
