Here are three examples directly from the staff at Rust Belt Riders on how to be creative with the waste you produce.
Over the past few weeks Zoe has been collecting the shells from eggs she has been cooking with. By collecting a quarts worth of eggshells she will be able to add calcium directly into the growing beds. “It took my roommate some getting used to, but after the adjustment period, we collected more than a quart of shells! I'm most looking forward to processing them in my food processor.” By grinding the eggshells with water in a food processor she both cleans the shells and creates a calcium additive that can be directly applied to the soil.
Meal Planning around food that is about to go bad
Aramay has been tapping into her familial and social networks to reduce the amount of waste that she sees. By keeping a keen eye towards the veggies in the crisper drawer of both her and her family’s homes, she has been able to stop food waste before it happens. One of her favorite dishes has been a combination of a salad that was about to wilt dressed with a “leftover stir-fry” that included half a can of beans her sister had left open, a small container of rice from a Chinese restaurant, a “droopy-tomato” and a perfectly cooked egg. Aramay shared, “If people really want to get serious about reducing their food waste they need to meal-plan around food that is about to expire.”
3. Vegetable Soup Stock from Veggie Scraps
Though not a strict vegetarian himself, Michael does his due diligence to reduce food waste by saving the ends and peelings of his vegetables in his freezer for future vegetable stock. “The tupperware in my freezer is quite literally overflowing at the moment with scraps.” Rather than pitching those ends of chopped carrots, garlic peals and smashed garlic bits, save them for the next time you have the craving for a warm vegetable soup or a creamy risotto that calls for stock. It’s fun and totally worth the extra effort to give a go at making your own stock!
