In Utah, about 600,000 tons of food are wasted every year. Food is thrown away and heads to the landfill which then releases methane gas as the food decomposes. Food waste is responsible for about 8% of global emissions and is the number one item filling our landfills.
Dana Williamson took matters into her own hands to reduce the amount of food in our landfills by founding Waste Less Solutions. They rescue edible food from donors in the food industry, then donate that food to agencies that feed those with food insecurities and connect volunteer rescuers who sign up to deliver food from the donors to those agencies.
To date, they have saved over 280,000 meals, that’s about three meals a day to over 72,000 people in the Salt Lake County area. You can become a food rescuer or donate food from your own garden by visiting wastelesssolutions.org.
SelectHealth recognizes the reduction in food waste by Waste Less Solutions as another example of how Utah Gives Back.