Clark County Solid Waste and Recycling offers tips to reduce cost and environmental impact of holiday meals

This year, many residents are concerned about the cost of their holiday meals. Clark County Solid Waste and Recycling offers resources to help residents avoid throwing away food and wasting money. 

The EPA estimates that reducing food waste could save a family of four nearly $3,000 annually, about $728 per person. On average, each Clark County household throws away more than 400 pounds of edible food each year. 

Tossing food in the garbage produces methane in landfills, a greenhouse gas at least 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Landfilling food and other biological waste keeps the nutrients it contains from returning to the soil to support productive farmland and reduce dependence on synthetic fertilizers. 

Residents can reduce food waste this holiday season by taking some simple steps as they plan for and clean up after a holiday meal. 

• Shopping: Food waste prevention starts with not buying more than is needed or can be eaten before it spoils. Those planning holiday meals should review what they already have, use a tool like the “Guest-imator” to estimate food quantities needed and avoid over-buying. Buying more than what’s needed can also be avoided by making a grocery list and buying only what's on it. 
• Storage: Properly storing groceries can keep food from spoiling before it is eaten. Dry goods should be stored in labeled, airtight containers. Onions and apples should be stored separately from other foods, as they emit a gas that can make other foods spoil faster. Local and in-season produce tends to last longer before spoiling because it requires less time for transport.
• Leftovers: Holiday meal guests should be sent home with leftovers in reusable containers. Using leftovers creatively can help ensure they are eaten before they spoil. Examples include using mashed potatoes to make shepherd’s pie, topping oatmeal with cranberry sauce, and boiling bones to create nutrient-rich broths. To prevent foodborne illness, leftovers should be eaten within three to four days or frozen in airtight containers to use later.
• Composting: Food scraps can be composted instead of tossed in the garbage. In Clark County, composting options for residents without backyard composting systems include:
  • Composting at the curb: Waste Connections customers in the cities of Vancouver and Ridgefield who subscribe to the organics service can dispose of food scraps in their organics carts.
  • Food scrap drop-off: All residents can drop off food waste at a We Compost Community Hub location for composting. The service is free and available at locations throughout Clark County. Locations can be found on the We Compost Community Hub webpage. 

More food waste prevention tips and resources are available on the Clark County Green Neighbors webpage, and on the county’s YouTube channel. 

Solid Waste and Recycling is a program of Clark County Public Works. For information about road and park projects, closures, opportunities for community input, and more, residents can follow Public Works on X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook and Instagram and view information on Nextdoor. Residents can also visit clark.wa.gov/public-works to sign up for email notifications.