This week, our friends at DEEP are celebrating Food Waste Prevention Week with events and information on how we can do our part to reduce food waste, prevent spoilage, and save money in our personal lives. We are happy to support these efforts.
As you may recall, DAS has implemented an organics and food waste program at its two largest state office buildings, 450 Columbus Boulevard and 165 Capital Avenue, to divert all organic waste to compost bins, which are located on all floors in each break room.
DAS has contracted with Blue Earth Compost to collect compost weekly. Since implementation, DAS has composted enough waste to mitigate CO2 emissions equivalent to more than 7,000 miles driven by the average car.
It is up to all of us to build on this great work. Please remember to compost your leftover food instead of throwing it in the trash. Some examples of compostable items include:
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Leftover sandwiches, bread, and all.
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Any hot leftover meal, including cooked meat, bones, vegetables, starches, and more.
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Banana and orange peels, and any fruits or vegetables.
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Tea bags and coffee grounds.
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Leftover chips.
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Spoiled food.
To put it simply: if it ever grew, it goes!
Compost |
Do Not Compost |
| Meat and bones |
Metal of any kind including aluminum foil |
| Shellfish and fish products | Plastic of any kind |
| Dairy products |
Glass of any kind |
| Eggshells | Styrofoam |
| Vegetable and fruit scraps | Cardboard |
| Pits and peels | Plastic gloves |
| Condiments and speices | Candles |
| Coffee grounds and filters, and tea bags | Corks |
| Flowers, plants, and herbs | Gum |
| Incidental oils and fats | Twist ties |
| Napkins and paper towels | Rubber bands |
| Food soiled papers | Disposable mop and cleaning sheets |
| Uncoated paper plates | Hot liquides |
