2023 Wasted Food Stops With Us Community Heroes

What do Cincinnati, Colerain Twp, Harrison, Loveland, Mariemont, Miami Township, and Montgomery have in common? They’re all working to reduce food waste in their community! Every year Hamilton County ReSource collects data on how each community manages its waste. This year we asked two simple questions about food recovery and composting. These seven communities reported knowledge or support of efforts in their community to reduce food waste.

What Are Our Community Heroes Doing?

Whether prioritizing reducing food waste in the Green Cincinnati Plan, developing a municipal food scrap drop-off in Colerain, or Miami Township’s resident-led WeThrive! food distribution program, these seven communities are filled with heroes who redirect surplus food to people who need it most or regenerate the soil with compost.

About 15% of residential and commercial waste generated in Hamilton County is food. That waste represents wasted resources, time, and energy. That’s why Hamilton County has prioritized reducing food waste, and in partnership with local communities, the message is spreading.

• City of Cincinnati- Cincinnati has long been a food waste hero. From encouraging small scale community compost to supporting food waste recovery infrastructure, many of the "Green Cincinnati Plan's" action items prioritize reducing food waste.

• Colerain Township- Colerain Township upped its efforts to divert food waste from the landfill by establishing a food scrap drop-off site, the first of its kind in the area.

• City of Harrison- Life Springs Church partners with local grocers to divert wholesome surplus food to their pantry and the Harrison Community Center to feed their community.

• City of Loveland- LIFE (Loveland Interfaith Effort) Food Pantry recovers surplus, wholesome food from local stores to feed over 1,000 individuals each month. Inedible food scraps are composted on-site and the finished product is used to grow produce at the Loveland Learning Garden.

• Village of Mariemont- In 2021, a resident led effort connected 40 Mariemont families with GoZero. As of 2023, 45 families compost with GoZero and over 19,000 pounds of organic waste have been diverted from the landfill.

• Miami Township- The WeThrive! Miami Township team has long worked to feed residents and reduce waste. In 2022, with the support of the Township Administration, they began planning Surplus Food Distribution events.

• City of Montgomery- Education is key in Montgomery. From backyard compost seminars to upcycling workshops, Montgomery is committed to reducing food waste and partnering with food recovery organizations.

What’s the best way to reduce food waste?

Don’t buy food you don’t need.

1. Shop from a list

2. Serve tasty food

3. Store food safely

4. Share your surplus with friends and neighbors

Have surplus food?

Donate shelf-stable food to a local pantry or work with a local food producer to see if they can use your surplus food to feed livestock.

Have food that’s wasted?

Compost your inedible scraps in your backyard or with one of our local food scrap processing partners to create a nutrient-dense soil amendment.

Please join us as we celebrate these amazing heroes by following the Wasted Food Stops With Us Blog to keep up to date on food waste diversion efforts and ideas.

Summer Coleslaw Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 cups red and/or green cabbage

• 2 whole carrots

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Shred cabbage into long strips.

2. Chop carrots into small pieces.

3. Mix with mayonnaise and vinegar.

4. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to three days.