Developing & Delivering a Food Too Good to Waste Program Krystal Noiseux, Vice Chair Rhode Island Food Policy Council

RI Food Policy Council 2 We Are: A statewide collaboration of diverse, committed and engaged stakeholders from all sectors of the food system Our Mission: Create partnerships, develop policies and advocate for improvements to the local food system to increase and expand its capacity, viability and sustainability.

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Environment Work Group 4 Goal: To see Rhode Island’s food system cultivate a healthy environment by striving for zero waste, adopting ecologically sound practices and ensuring healthy working conditions.

EPA Food Recovery Hierarchy 5

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Research shows that... Total Household Food and Drink Waste Always Inedible Once Edible Sometimes Inedible Prepared or Served Too Much Not Used in TimeOther > 5% ~ 64%! ~ 18% ~ 55% ~ 40% 8

RHODE ISLAND PILOT 9

Pilot Funding EPA: $ staff (100 hours) RIFPC: $3000 Printing (Tools for participants) Incentives (Scales, containers, gift cards) Food (Light fare served at all events) 10 $6K

4 Pilot Groups Different demographics: The “Friendlies” RIFPC list The Promenade Apartments Providence Housing Authority 11

INITIAL MEETING: FORMING A BASELINE (GET SMART) 12

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WORKSHOP: STRATEGIES TO REDUCE FOOD WASTE 14

1. SMART SHOPPING 15

2. SMART STORAGE 16

4. SMART PREP 17

5. SMART SAVINGS 18

FOUR WEEKS… RESULTS / DEBRIEF 19

20 Week Pounds of Preventable Food Waste

21 Week Number of filled containers

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RIPR Coverage 23 ripr.org/post/learning-reduce-food-waste

NEXT STEPS: RHODE ISLAND 24

EPA Healthy Communities $25,000 grant 5 community partners Build FTGTW skills into existing programs 25

NEXT STEPS: NATIONAL CAMPAIGN 26

National Campaign Toolkit presently posted at Toolkit will eventually be posted to EPA coordinating with USDA, and other organizations for scale-up to a national awareness campaign 27

TO LEARN MORE… 28 Krystal Noiseux x109