Can Fruit Save Our Food Waste Problem?

In a small town south of Seattle an organization called Living Well Kent, made up of immigrants, refugees, and people of color who dominate the region, decided that the best way to promote health in their area would be to start a farmers' market. Now, immigrant farmers grow crops in previously abandoned greenhouses to supply the farmers market and support the local food bank.

In Chester County, Pennsylvania where the land is said to be the most nutrient-rich in the country, the average household income is $90,000, yet poverty rates are increasing. To offer a solution to the food insecurity component of poverty, Farmer Pete Flynn along with a rotating cycle of volunteers have dedicated a portion of farmland to growing crops specifically for the local food banks.

Community fridges, like The Friendly Fridge, popped up during the pandemic as a way to get food to people in need, as the pandemic highlighted nationwide food insecurity issues. The fridges survive on donations from community members, other organizations and local restaurants and grocery stores. It’s estimated that about 250 people will grab something from The Friendly Fridge each day.

Fresh Hub was created by twin high school sisters to address food insecurity and the environmental impact of food waste. Volunteers collect unsold food from grocery stores and bakeries and give it to residents living in “food deserts.” They use a smartphone app and automated messages to alert residents when food is available, which is distributed at community centers. Partnering with Second Servings, a nonprofit already doing similar work, allowed them access to vans, equipment, and important insight. Since 2017, they have led 23 events, kept 15,200 pounds of food out of landfills, and served 1,900 people.

Favela Organica is a social enterprise that address food insecurity, increases access to healthy foods, and reduces waste. The founder, Tchelly, has provided free courses to around 30,000 people in Rio’s favelas, mostly women, who learn how to repurpose food waste from local markets and grow produce at home. The premise relies on an integrated food cycle of growing food, utilizing all of it, and creating compost with what is left to fertilize the garden to grow the food. Students use the lessons to lower food costs and, for some, to increase the amount of food they can sell, which adds to monthly incomes.

In Kooskia, a rural area in Idaho, local farmers are finding success in working with residents to make sure produce is being used to its fullest. From using the leftover apple chunks from cider-making to feed livestock to relying on neighbor's produce to provide for local businesses, sustainable homesteads are gaining popularity amongst communities.

A hydroponic farm called Planted on Detroit's East Side brings a comprehensive approach to the urban farm-to-table movement, combining sustainable growth practices with a non-profit distribution program. Planted also creates jobs for those in the neighborhood, training locals how a hydroponic farm works and how to best provide food to those who need it most.

Technology can help reduce food waste. Olio and Winnow are two examples. Olio is an app that allows people to easily exchange extra or unwanted food for free. Winnow is a smart trash can that calculates the cost of waste in commercial kitchens, inspiring chefs to be more creative to save both food and money.

In some cities, empty urban lots transformed into multilayered "food forests" that mimic natural ecosystems are providing free, accessible fresh produce to city residents through strategically designed edible plantings that feature native and adapted fruit trees, nut trees, and berry bushes.

FoodCommune aims to reduce food waste by rescuing food before it ends up in landfills, redistributing about 6,000 pounds of food per week. FoodCommune gathers food from farmer’s markets, grocery stores, restaurants and other sources, redistributing enough to feed about 300 people each week.