Austin Texas is one of the greenest cities in America. Austin Energy has been ranked as the No. 1 green energy program in the country by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. It is no surprise that, being a city that is so energy efficient and conscious, it is also a city that places particular emphasis on combating the problem of food waste.

Austin is one of the fastest growing cities in America. From 2010-2015, the city saw a 16.6% population growth rate. This means more food importation to support the rapidly increasing population. This inherently means more food waste. However, the city of Austin is looking to stop this.

The official website for the city of Austin (austintexas.gov) has voiced that Austin’s goal should be to have a purely local food system.

There are many benefits of only having locally grown food.

1.) It is proven to be healthier for you. Because there is less time in transportation of the food, it is less likely nutrients will be lost from the food, or even that the food may be potentially damaged.

2.)It supports local farmers and businesses. Smaller, local businesses are, many times, overshadowed or even bought out by corporations and larger, more powerful companies. Austin should provide support for these smaller companies, help them flourish, and try to prevent corporations from gaining too much control of the food industry.

3.)It benefits the environment. Farms can provide many beneficial acts for the environment: they conserve fertile soil, protect natural water sources, and help lower carbon in the atmosphere.

4.)Last but not least: IT PREVENTS FOOD WASTE. A study in 2015 showed that consuming only locally grown products decreases food waste.  According to an article from Deseret News, “Anywhere from 20 to 30 percent of produce goes to waste, “because it doesn’t meet retailer’s cosmetic specifications.” Buying locally, according to Michigan State University’s Beth Clawson, might in fact help to reduce some of that waste”. Read more at the below link.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865630355/Eating-locally-is-actually-pretty-easy-and-thats-good-news-for-reducing-food-waste.html

Economical, environmental, and beneficial reasons to the city aside, there are many impoverished and poor people in the Austin area who could benefit from food consciousness and donations.

In Austin alone, there are over 120 companies that offer food assistance to people in need. One of these companies that helps prevent food waste by donating to shelters and in turn help people in need is Keep Austin Fed. This company’s mission is to gather leftover food from restaurants and other places and deliver it to shelters and places like SafePlace. If you are interested in reading more about this, just follow the link below.

http://www.edibleaustin.com/index.php/homeandgarden-2/gardening/1256-war-on-waste