At Verdani Partners, sustainability isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the core principle guiding our operations and initiatives. This commitment was recently highlighted at our headquarters with a dedicated Food Waste Reduction Workshop. Led by Jessica Ullyott from Nature Needs SD, the workshop provided our team with crucial insights and actionable strategies to tackle food waste.
Key Takeaways from the Food Waste Reduction Workshop
Jessica Ullyott shed light on the significant daily food waste and its detrimental environmental impact, especially concerning organic waste in landfills. Participants learned practical methods to minimize food waste both at home and within our communities. Key strategies discussed included:
- Strategic Meal Planning: A foundational approach to cut down on unnecessary food purchases and waste, ultimately saving money.
- Comprehensive Composting: Exploring various composting methods, from backyard composting and vermicomposting to utilizing community drop-off locations.
- Leveraging Technology: Discovering apps like Too Good To Go to effectively rescue surplus food from local businesses, preventing it from going to waste.
- Creative Scrap Utilization: Learning to use food scraps in innovative recipes, inspired by resources like Zero Waste Chef, Plant You, and Spicy Moustache, to maximize food use.
To make learning engaging and practical, the workshop culminated in a hands-on session crafting delicious protein balls. This activity showcased how simple, wholesome ingredients can be repurposed creatively while minimizing waste.
Local Resources for Sustainable Food Habits
Verdani Partners is committed to providing ongoing support for sustainable practices. The workshop also highlighted valuable local resources in San Diego to help everyone adopt sustainable food habits. These included resources for:
- Community Composting: Humble Servants of the Worm, Food2Soil, Solana Center.
- Backyard & Vermicomposting: Living Coast Discovery Center, Solana Center.
- Bokashi Composting: Seed and Trellis.
- CSAs & Farmers Markets: Eating Local San Diego, San Diego Farmers Markets.
- Gardening Resources: Epic Gardening, City Farmers Nursery, Coastal Roots Farm.
We extend our sincere gratitude to Jessica Ullyott and all participants for contributing to the success of this impactful event. Let’s continue collaborating to foster a zero-waste and climate-resilient future, embodying the core values of Verdani Partners.
References: SB 1383 and CalRecycle’s food waste education resources.
