Southfield Launches Initiative to Combat Food Waste and Promote Sustainability

Southfield Fights Food Waste: Exciting New Initiative in the Works!

Welcome to Southfield, where exciting changes are happening as the city takes a bold step towards eliminating food waste! This year, Southfield has teamed up with Make Food Not Waste, a dedicated nonprofit organization from Detroit, on a yearlong study aimed at tackling the staggering issue of food waste in our community.

Staggering Statistics

Did you know that Southfield produces approximately 35 million pounds of food waste every year? That’s a jaw-dropping amount, coming from all sorts of places, from homes to businesses, schools, and even institutions. According to Danielle Todd, the executive director of Make Food Not Waste, that boils down to about one pound of food waste per person per day!

“It’s something we all contribute to,” Todd explained. “And it was really important for us to take a closer look at how we can reroute this food away from our landfills.”

Learning from the Best

What’s impressive is that while Southfield is the first city to embark on this food waste study, it won’t be the last. Todd mentioned that Make Food Not Waste is also collaborating with other cities like Canton, Dearborn, Farmington Hills, and Livonia. Some of these areas already have helpful practices in place, like Canton’s robust drop-off program for food scraps.

The goal? To have similar food waste elimination programs in bigger southeast Michigan cities up and running by 2030, with minimal costs to residents. “Our aim is to secure funding through grants and philanthropy, so it doesn’t fall heavily on the shoulders of Southfield residents,” Todd noted.

A Community Effort

As the study progresses, Southfield’s own sustainability planner, Souzan Hanna, highlighted a key aspect: community involvement. A comprehensive plan is set to roll out, with a presentation to the City Council scheduled for January 2025. “We want the community to understand why this is so important—not just in terms of climate change, but from a humanitarian angle,” Hanna emphasized.

“We waste 15,000 tons of food each year here in Southfield, while 9% of our population faces food insecurity. It just makes sense to reallocate this food to those in need.”

Getting the Word Out

But how will this be done? The approach will be gradual, starting with public education campaigns to inform residents, restaurant owners, and local businesses about the food waste elimination efforts. “We want to grab people’s attention and encourage participation,” Hanna mentioned.

Feedback from residents has shown that many of them want a straightforward method for disposing of food waste. There has been notable interest in using current yard waste collection services to include food scraps. “This way, people can toss their food waste out just like they do with their trash,” Todd said. “It’s all about making it easy and accessible.”

Commercial Participation

For businesses, a different strategy will be in place. Property managers will need to arrange food waste collection, similar to how they handle trash and recycling. Recommended drop-off locations for commercial properties could also be provided by the initiative.

For those interested in backyard composting, Todd offered some key tips: “Stick to just fruits and vegetable scraps. No meat or animal products, as they can attract pests.”

Use Technology to Help

In addition to these efforts, residents can also join the fight against food waste by downloading an app called Too Good To Go. This innovative platform lets users snag discounted food items that restaurants have at the end of the day, helping to reduce waste while getting a good deal!

A Brighter Future

Hanna is excited about the future and optimism is in the air. “Implementing this plan will take time, but it’s essential for accountability and making meaningful changes,” she stated, looking ahead to the next five years. “We hope to look back and see a measurable impact on food waste reduction in Southfield.”

Stay tuned, Southfield! These initiatives are just the beginning of a brighter and more sustainable future for our community.