Landfills are the second-largest industrial source of methane emissions in the United States, accounting for 20% of methane emissions (2014 statistic). What’s also shocking, is that food waste is the single largest component going into municipal landfills as landfill waste decomposes, it produces a number of pollutants, (air toxins, volatile organic compounds, carbon dioxide, and methane). In other words, for an American family of four, the average value of discarded produce is nearly $1,600 a year. In America, food waste is estimated at between 30-40% of the food supply, also representing a waste in food production resources from land, water, energy and inputs. Globally, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that one-third of all food grown is lost or wasted, which amounts to about 130 billion pounds and $161 billion worth of food annually. The 15th of November is America Recycles Day the only nationally recognized day and awareness effort dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling in the United States. This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Vitamix.

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