“Buy Nothing” Groups Are Tackling Food Waste

A recent story from Civil Eats highlights how “Buy Nothing” groups, popular on Facebook among zero waste enthusiasts, minimalists, and those looking to cut costs by avoiding unnecessary purchases, are not only helping members trade durable goods for free, but are also doubling as food distribution networks. 

Wasting surplus food while our neighbors go out to buy the same ingredients we have going to waste in our cupboards and fridges is absurd. Wasting surplus food while our fellow human beings go hungry is both tragic and absurd. An organic movement to address that problem is arising through Buy Nothing groups, with one activist estimating “that she redistributes more than 7,000 pounds of food every month to co-workers, her Buy Nothing community, and some of her neighbors.” That’s a lot of climate emissions averted, and a lot of hungry mouths fed.

We’ll need to add this tip to our guide to preventing food waste this 4th of July – if you have leftovers from your cookout that your family can’t finish, try joining your community’s Buy Nothing group and offering them up!

Danielle Melgar

Former Food & Agriculture, Advocate, U.S. PIRG Education Fund

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