Do you know what’s at the back of your fridge? When you face unidentifiable leftovers, do they go in the trash or the compost? Landfills account for more than a third of our total methane emissions, and a large percentage of what ends up in landfills is wasted food.

Uneaten food is a problem on the other side of the equation, too. Nearly a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions come from food production and the changes in land use that accompany it. Excess food production increases emissions, worsening climate change, which in turn makes it more challenging to grow food—and more ecologically hazardous.

Wasting food means wasting water too. Fully one-quarter of US water consumption is used to produce food that isn’t eaten.

Of course, wasted food is also wasted money. The average U.S. household throws away more than $1300 worth of food each year.

With some pretty minor lifestyle shifts, you can save money, preserve water resources, and help prevent food from ending up in a landfill!

• Buy and cook only what you and your household will eat.
• Plan meals, and stick to your shopping list. Need help getting started? Check out savethefood.com/meal-prep-mate/.
• Store leftovers and be creative using them to make tasty meals.
• Label containers with the dates you opened them or stored leftovers in them. Keep food that will expire soonest toward the front of the refrigerator or pantry so you’ll see them and eat them.
• Compost food scraps in your home composter, your city’s yard waste collection, or a community garden. You can even compost using a small box in an apartment or condo.
• Support local, sustainable farmers at your neighborhood farmer’s market, food coops, through community-supported agriculture (CSA) subscriptions, and in your local supermarket. Locally grown produce reduces shipping time and emissions.