FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – City leaders in an Oakland County community are seeking feedback from residents and business owners as they work to reduce food waste and see if there is interest in a composting program.
The city of Farmington Hills has partnered with the Detroit-based nonprofit Make Food Not Waste to launch two surveys to collect information as the city works to address food waste and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2050.
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Here’s what to know about food waste, information about the two surveys and more:
What is food waste?
Food waste refers to food that is grown and produced that is available for people, but is not consumed.
This included spoiled foods, leftovers and non-edible food scraps, such as banana peels, rinds, bones and egg shells.
You can find more information about food waste on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s website.
How much food does Michigan waste?
Michigan wastes more than 2 billion pounds of food every year, which significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, according to data from the nonprofit ReFED.
Households, which are the largest generators of food waste, spend $759 per person each year on food that they don’t end up eating, according to a release from the City of Farmington Hills.
The state is working to cut food waste in half by 2030, as part of the MI Healthy Climate Plan.
Officials say the majority of the state’s food waste is generated in Southeast Michigan, due to it being the most populated area in Michigan.
Due to this, Farmington Hills and other cities in the region are working with Make Food Not Waste to keep food waste from ending up in landfills.
“Farmington Hills is among several cities in the region, including Southfield, Livonia and Dearborn, that are working with Make Food Not Waste to create a plan to eliminate food waste from landfills,” the release said. “The 15 largest cities in southeast Michigan generate 750 million pounds of food waste each year. Keeping all of the food waste in those communities out of landfills would reduce the state’s food waste by 38%.”
Farmington Hills food waste survey
As Farmington Hills works to reduce food waste, they are collecting feedback from residents and business owners to:
- Understand the level of awareness and knowledge about food waste
- Learn how businesses and residents currently handle food waste
- Explore community interest in composting
“Food waste has significant environmental and economic impacts, which is why this project is an exciting next step in the City’s sustainability journey,” said Jacob Rushlow, director of the City of Farmington Hills Public Services Department, which oversees collection of trash, recycling and yard waste in the City. “Reducing food waste is one thing we can do as a community to lower our greenhouse gas emissions and protect the environment for future generations in Farmington Hills.”
Residents can click here to take the survey.
The survey for business owners is available here.
The surveys will be available through July 25.
Anyone looking for more information can contact the city at 248-871-2530.