Food Waste Reduction Initiative

Happening Now

Asheville City Council proclaimed April “Food Waste Reduction Month” during the April 11, 2023 council meeting, but we’re committed year-round! Read the proclamation here.

To get in on the action, check out these great Food Waste Reduction activities!

Conduct a home food waste audit and share your observations with your friends and the local food waste community.
Play a game of food waste bingo!
Keep an eye on the Food Waste Solutions WNC’s website and @wncfoodwaste social media for fun community challenges, events, and prizes to reduce food waste!
Register for the Food Waste Drop-off Program to keep your food scraps and organics out of the landfill. Learn more and register on the City of Asheville’s Composting webpage.
Look for the “Save the Food Asheville” logo on sanitation trucks, social media and around town as we collaborate with community partners to share tips and tricks to keep food out of the landfill.
Use our Save the Food quick reference guide and see that reducing food waste is as easy as 1, 2, 3 (4!)
Share a cooking tip, photo of your compost bin, or other resources using hashtags #savethefoodavl and #savethefoodwnc to keep the conversation going!

ways to save the food

Text only version linked here

Background

In 2017 Asheville City Council adopted a revised Food Policy Action Plan. Resolution 17-257 identified Resource Stewardship as a focus area, which included an objective to “create an actionable plan for city food waste recovery, composting and redistribution”.

Up to 40 percent of food in the United States is wasted, contributing to extensive environmental, economic, and societal impacts. Up to 400 pounds of food per person is wasted annually with a family of four spending at least $1,800/year on uneaten food. In Buncombe County, an estimated 57,500 tons of food are wasted annually. Those tons represent food that could feed our neighbors, dollars that could otherwise circulate in our local economies, and landfill space unnecessarily used.

The Food Waste Reduction Initiative aims to: provide useful information and tips to residents seeking to reduce their household food waste; pilot opportunities for community compost drop sites; elevate the message of food waste reduction; and model food waste reduction initiatives in city facilities.

Timeline

2017
- City of Asheville sponsored inaugural Food Waste Summit at Warren Wilson College
2018
- WNC Food Waste Solutions Network initiated, hosted quarterly educational and networking events
2019
- City of Asheville sponsored and participated as a planning member of the second Food Waste Solutions Summit at UNC Asheville
2020
- City of Asheville selected to participate in Southeast Regional Cohort of the Natural Resource Defense Council’s Food Matters Initiative
  - Launched Food Waste Reduction Initiative with 4 key strategy areas (public proclamation, compost, community engagement and education campaign, food waste audit)
2021
- First Food Waste Reduction Month proclamation issued via Asheville City Council April, 2021
- Food Scraps Drop-Off pilot program launched
- Conducted food waste snapshot audits at recreation and administration facilities
- Launched public food waste prevention education campaign
2022
- Food Waste Reduction Month proclamation issued via Buncombe County
- Food Scraps Drop-Off program expanded to 3 additional sites
- Hosted inaugural Taste it Don’t Waste it Chef competition
2023
- Food Waste Reduction Month updated proclamation issued via City Council April, 2023
- Food Scraps Drop-Off program expanded to include 8 sites total, 6 within city limits. Finalized interlocal agreement between City of Asheville and Buncombe County to co-manage program expenses, logistics, and communication
- City of Asheville sponsored and participated as a planning member of the 3rd Food Waste Solutions Summit at AB Tech
2024
- Collaborated with Food Waste Solutions WNC for community education and engagement activities:
  - 3rd annual Taste it Don’t Waste it community food waste reduction and chef competition event
  - Food Waste Reduction Month updated proclamation issued via Buncombe County Commission