Category: Procurement/Supply Chains

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Environmentally preferable gifts for dads and grads

Photo taken at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on Saturday, May 17, 2025.
(Photo by Fred Zwicky / University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

Late May and early- to mid-June is the time of year to celebrate high school and college graduations as well as dads, grandpas, and father figures of all sorts as Father’s Day approaches (celebrated on June 15 in 2025). As you contemplate gifts for the dads and grads in your life, the following resources will help you make choices that are more “environmentally friendly,” in terms of reducing exposure to hazardous substances and promoting sustainable behavior. As always, please note that ISTC does not endorse, either explicitly or implicitly, any manufacturer, vendor, product, or service. Mentions of specific products or businesses below are provided for informational reference only.

Pots and pans

If the dad or grad you’re celebrating likes to cook or needs some kitchen supplies for their first apartment, you can reduce their exposure to PFAS by gifting them with stainless steel, cast iron, glass, or ceramic cookware.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS and sometimes called “forever chemicals” because they break down slowly and persist in the environment, are found in a wide variety of consumer products, including cookware treated with “non-stick” coatings. According to the U.S. EPA, these substances are found in the blood of humans and other animals worldwide and are present at low levels in a variety of food products and the environment. This is a concern since exposure may be linked to harmful health effects and there’s still a lot that we don’t know about their impact on human and environmental health, how much total PFAS people are exposed to, and how to effectively remove PFAS from the environment.

To help you evaluate options, check out Grace Kelly’s recent article for Serious Eats in which she tests several different cast iron skillets to find the best one: “To Find the Best Cast Iron Skillets, I Seared Steaks, Baked Cornbread, and Fried Eggs.” If you don’t want to dive deeply, Kelly summarizes: “The best cast iron skillet is from Lodge. It heats up fast and sears deeply, and only costs around $20. We also like the lightweight Lancaster No. 8 skillet, which is easy on the wrists and cooks food beautifully.” She also points out that cast iron cookware is tough, so in addition to using it in the kitchen, you can also use it on the grill or over a fire pit. This is another bonus if your dad or grad loves to cook out or camp out.

Photo by Ella Heineman on Unsplash

Similarly, Amanda Arnold vetted stainless steel cookware sets for a March 26, 2025 article for Forbes, highlighting her top 5 picks. Her pick for best-overall set was the All-Clad D3 Stainless 10-piece cookware set, while her pick for the best budget set was Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless Steel 10-piece cookware set.

If you’re considering glass bakeware/storage, keep in mind that some brands like Pyrex and Anchor Hocking are now using tempered glass (heat-treated soda-lime glass) for items made in the U.S. instead of the borosilicate glass that they once used. This is important because borosilicate glass is much more resistant to large temperature shifts—like taking a made-ahead casserole out of the fridge or freezer and popping it straight into a hot oven—than tempered glass. Swift movement across these kinds of temperature extremes is sometimes referred to as “thermal shock.” So, even if you remember your grandma moving her Pyrex containers back and forth between hot and cold environments with confidence, modern dishes might shatter when exposed to thermal shock. Pyrex made with borosilicate (older items or modern items made outside the U.S.) tend to feature the brand name in all caps (PYREX) while tempered glass versions feature the name in lowercase letters (pyrex). It’s all good—just something to be aware of. For more info, see “The Actual Difference Between PYREX and pyrex” by Sheela Prakash (for Simply Recipes, 12/9/24) and “If Pyrex Isn’t Safe Anymore, Which Brand of Glass Bakeware Should You Buy?” written—appropriately—by Meghan Glass (for Allrecipes, 3/11/23), who points out that some brands like Oxo are still consistently made of borosilicate glass. (Note that the headline for Glass’s article is somewhat misleading; tempered glass is safe so long as you’re aware that it’s not as resistant to “thermal shock” as borosilicate glass.)

Ceramic cookware is becoming popular as a PFAS-free alternative to traditional non-stick cookware. To help select ceramic pots and pans, see Nicole Papantoniou’s 2/19/25 article for Good Housekeeping, “6 Best Ceramic Cookware Sets, According to Expert Testing.”

If your gift recipient relies on their microwave instead of cooking elaborate meals, it’s still important to have glass or ceramic vessels for heating foods up, because research has shown that even FDA-approved plastics release microplastics into your food when they’re heated in a microwave.

Local foods

Continuing the subject of cooking, your dad or grad might appreciate a gift that provides them with locally grown or raised foods. Everybody eats, after all! According to the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), “there is no consensus on a definition of “local” or “local food systems” in terms of the geographic distance between production and consumption. Nevertheless, local and regional foods are increasingly being recognized as an important component to efforts to create more sustainable, resilient, healthier, and equitable food systems…Findings are mixed on the impact of local food systems on local economic development and better nutrition levels among consumers, and sparse literature is so far inconclusive about whether localization reduces energy use or greenhouse gas emissions. Notwithstanding, consumer demand for locally produced food is increasing and creating jobs and opportunity throughout rural America for farms, businesses, and entrepreneurs that store, process, market and distribute food locally and regionally.” In any event, consuming food produced locally gives you the opportunity to know the farmers involved and to ask questions about their practices (e.g., whether and which pesticides are used, how livestock are treated, if they employ any conservation practices on their land, etc.). That’s not something you can do at your typical supermarket.

A Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription could be a great option for dads or those grads moving into new apartments who have access to reliable transportation. CSA is a type of arrangement in which a farmer offers “shares” of their harvest to the public in the area surrounding their farm. Individuals buy those shares (sometimes called a “subscription” or “membership”) before, or at the very beginning of the growing season, helping the farmer with cash flow and giving them some guaranteed income, which is important since the size of their total harvest is impacted by the weather and other factors beyond their control. Subscribers then receive fresh local produce (or meat, eggs, or other items, depending on the farm involved) at regular intervals throughout the season. This typically involves the subscriber picking up a box, bag, or basket of items on a set schedule on the farm or some other public location. The Local Harvest website can help you find a CSA in your dad or grad’s area and elaborates on the benefits for both farmer and subscriber, as well as variations and the shared risks (e.g., if the farmer’s crop is destroyed by a natural disaster, you’re not likely to receive a refund if you don’t receive your normal boxes of goods).

University of Illinois/Photo by Fred Zwicky.

Young grads going off to college dorms may not want or need the amount of local food a CSA provides, but they can still benefit from gifts centered on local foods. Consider a gift card or membership for a local food co-op store so they can stock their mini fridge–the Local Harvest website also lets you search for co-op stores near a given location. Another idea would be to give them some money, reusable cotton or canvas shopping bags, and perhaps a bus pass, along with directions and other information for farmers markets where they’ll be living. The Local Harvest website lets you search for farmers markets in a given area, and if you grad will be in IL, check out the Illinois Farmers Market Association (ILFMA) website and use the MarketMaker map to find farmers markets and other food-focused businesses throughout the state.

Safer personal care products

You might be considering the gift of personal care products for your dad or grad—maybe a nice aftershave or fragrance, hair styling products, shaving cream, moisturizer, etc. But you may have heard news related to health impacts of various chemicals that might be present in such products and aren’t even sure you remember the names of some of the substances, let alone how to avoid them. Explore the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Skin Deep database to find a variety of products that have been evaluated based on their ingredients, scientific and industry literature related to those ingredients, intended use, areas of the body to which the products are exposed, the type of exposure, target demographics, and other factors. Products are scored based on the best available information on known and suspected hazards, and the database is updated regularly to reflect advances in scientific research.

The database includes 9 product categories: makeup; nails; face & body; oral care; hair; fragrance; babies & kids; men (which overlaps with some of the other categories but includes items marketed mainly toward men, such as beard oil, shaving creams, and men’s fragrance); and sun (for products like sunscreen, sunless tanning, and even lip balms or moisturizers with SPF ratings). You look at lists for subcategories to find information on specific products, or search the database for specific ingredients, product types, or brand names. If you pull up a list on a specific type of product (e.g. shaving cream), you can click on each listed item to learn more about its score, its ingredients, and when its entry was last updated. You can also sort the list alphabetically (a to z or vice versa), by best to worst score, or by worst to best score. Product entries will also display an evaluation of the data availability on which the rating is based (e.g. limited or fair).

Screenshot of EWG Skin Deep list of shaving creams.

Enjoy your celebrations!

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Celebrate International Day of Zero Waste on March 30 by reducing textile waste

Photo by smirart for Adobe Stock Images (Education license, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

Note that ISTC does not endorse, either explicitly or implicitly, any manufacturer, vendor, product, or service. Mentions of specific products or businesses below are provided for informational reference only.

The International Day of Zero Waste, observed on March 30th annually, was established through UN General Assembly Resolution 77/161 and is jointly facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). The day highlights the importance of waste reduction, sustainable materials management, and responsible consumption and production as part of sustainable development.

This year’s theme and why it matters

This year’s theme is “Towards zero waste in fashion and textiles.” According to the non-profit organization Global Fashion Agenda, 92 million tonnes of textile waste are produced globally each year. (Note that a “tonne” or metric tonne is equal to 2,204.6 lbs., as opposed to a “ton,” a.k.a. short ton, which is equal to 2000 lbs.) In 2018, the U.S. EPA found that nearly 17 million tons of textile waste were generated nationwide, with 11.3 million of those tons going to landfills (3.2 million tons were combusted).  According to the Illinois Materials Management Advisory Committee Report to the General Assembly (2021), 279,188 tons of clothing were disposed of in Illinois landfills in 2018, along with 235,523 tons of “other textiles.” In its 2017 report A new textiles economy: Redesigning fashion’s future, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation stated that between 2000 and 2015, global clothing production doubled while the duration of garment use decreased by 36 percent. So-called “fast fashion,” defined by Merriam-Webster as “an approach to the design, creation, and marketing of clothing fashions that emphasizes making fashion trends quickly and cheaply available to consumers,” tends to involve production of less durable items that wear out quickly, contributing to this trend of high production rates and shorter periods of use.

In a previous ISTC blog post (dated 6/26/24), we pointed out the connection between textile waste, particularly clothing waste, and plastic pollution, given that 60% of material made into clothing into clothing is plastic, including polyester, acrylic, and nylon textiles. The UNEP report Catalysing Science-based Policy Action on Sustainable Consumption and Production: The Value-chain Approach & its Application to Food, Construction and Textiles (2021) indicates the fashion and textile sector account for 9 percent of microplastic pollution reaching the oceans annually.

Further, it is estimated that over 15,000 chemicals are used in textile manufacturing processes, some of which are toxic or prone to persistence in the environment (Roos, et al, 2019). Textile manufacturing also uses lots of water and is responsible for massive greenhouse gas emissions. Given the variety of textiles produced, and with some being natural and others synthetic, it’s hard to characterize the total amount of water used for, and emissions resulting from, all textile production worldwide. Considering a cotton t-shirt as an example, a frequently cited article from the Spring 2014 edition of World Wildlife Magazine claims it takes 713 gallons (2700 liters) of water to produce one cotton t-shirt. Mayer and Birkocak (2024) estimate the textile and apparel industry accounts for approximately 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Suffice it to say, due to the massive amounts of resources involved in the production of textiles, the potential for pollution from the manufacture and use of textiles, and the amount of textile waste filling dwindling landfill space, anything we can do to reduce waste associated with textiles is important.

Ideas for positive action

While the potential negative impacts associated with textiles seem daunting, there are several things that individuals can do to prevent textile waste and manage them more responsibly at their end-of-life. Here are a few suggestions to consider.

  • Resist “fast fashion” by reducing the amount of clothing you buy. Avoid trends and purchase more “timeless” styles that will serve you for years to come. Look for individual pieces (shirts, pants, accessories, etc.) that can be paired with multiple other items in your wardrobe to create more outfits with fewer items. If you want some guidance, check out How to Create Different Outfits with Fewer Items (& Sustainably) from Project CeCe and How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe: Wear Fewer Pieces, Create More Outfits from Closet Cachete. How to Create More Outfit Choices With Fewer Clothes includes examples using men’s fashions.
  • Invest in more durable items. The upfront cost may be higher, but reducing the need to replace worn out items can make that worthwhile in the long run. Check out Good on You’s guide to choosing clothes that last.
  • When possible, buy secondhand clothing from thrift stores, consignment shops, or similar outlets. You might get lucky and find some deeply discounted, high-quality items that wound up at a thrift store precisely because they were made to last! In any event, keeping wearable clothing in use longer conserves the resources invested in their creation. If you have items that are still wearable but no longer wanted, consider donating or consigning them at relevant local charities or shops.
  • Participate in, or host, a clothing swap, in which friends or community members come together to exchange items that are still in good shape but no longer wanted by the original owner. Check out the Wikipedia article on clothing swaps for more information on this phenomenon. For advice on planning your own, see 4 Tips For Throwing A Successful Clothing Swap from Southern Living and How To Host A Clothing Swap Party: Step-By-Step Guide from Almost Zero Waste.
  • Repairing your clothing and textiles, rather than replacing them when seams rip or holes begin, is another strategy to conserve natural and financial resources. If you’re not handy with needle and thread, connect with friends or family who are, or support the local economy by taking items to an alteration shop or shoe repair service in your area. You can also do an Internet search for a local Repair Café, Fixit Clinic, or similar gathering where others might help you fix your items. You might also look for no-sew options using iron-on patches, fabric glue, or shoe glue (Shoe Goo is a popular brand of the latter, available in many hardware or “big box” stores; though typically used to repair soles that are separating from uppers, the Shoe Goo website notes that it can also be used for other repairs, such as fixing holes in backpacks). Marissa Elena’s Simple Ways To Mend Your Clothing Without A Sewing Machine is a good resource with embedded videos for illustration.
  • Wash your clothing less frequently and use cold water when you do. Unless you’ve sweat profusely or been doing a particularly dirty job, your outer garments might be able to be aired out and worn at least one additional time before getting tossed in the laundry basket. Washing less often will reduce wear and tear on your clothing and reduce your chores as a bonus. Check out Real Simple’s guide on how frequently to wash various types of clothing. And Don’t Bother Using Hot Water to Wash Your Laundry from Consumer Reports should set your mind at ease about the efficacy of cold water, which means less energy used during washing.
  • Reuse your textiles for crafts or cleaning rags. Some people enjoy making quilts or rag rugs from fabrics reclaimed from old clothes, or even tote bags or hot pads. See 9 Ways to Make a Rag Rug you’ll Want to Try! for some inspiration. If you’re not crafty, consider repurposing your castoffs into cleaning rags you can launder after use—an option that will also help you reduce your use of disposable items like paper towels. Some textiles are of appropriate size to use as rags as-is (e.g., an old washcloth or cloth diaper), but if you want to cut old shirts or pants down to size, use pinking shears to reduce fraying.
  • Recycle textiles that are not suitable for donation that can’t be repurposed in your own home. Check city, county, or local non-profit websites for “where to recycle it” guides, or do an Internet search to find recycling options near you. If you’re not sure which agency to contact in your area, reach out to the Illinois Recycling Foundation for guidance. Textiles collected for recycling might be turned into industrial rags, insulation or other construction materials, or carpet padding, among other items. Like more traditional recyclables, textiles should be seen as resources that don’t belong in landfills.

If you’re already doing some of the things suggested above, great! If it’s all new to you, don’t try to tackle everything at once. Choose one or two suggestions that fit well with your situation and circumstances and try them out. Talk to friends and family about your successes, and any challenges you encounter. They might help you overcome barriers and you just might inspire them to fight waste too! Don’t focus on trying to be perfect–you’re human, after all. If you try too many new things at once, or get too wrapped up in doing the exact “right thing,” you may become overwhelmed and either never start your new habit, or start and quickly give up. Every small step you take to reduce waste matters. If you’ve read through this whole post, congratulations–you’ve taken the first step toward sustainable behavior by being open to new practices!

More ways to get involved in waste reduction

Visit the UNEP website and click on “Events” to find Zero Waste Day events near you, or to add your own event to their map!

If you represent an organization or business interested in reducing all types of solid waste (beyond textiles) and managing materials more responsibly, learn more about the services of the ISTC Zero Waste team and contact them at istc-zerowaste@illinois.edu.

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Better bouquets: Sustainable purchasing and end-of-life management for floral arrangements

UI Public Affairs: L. Brian Stauffer. © Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, purchases of flowers increase. Whether for a holiday gift, special occasion, or other celebration, most of us will buy bouquets or flower arrangements at some point. But have you considered sustainable options or the best way to manage bouquets after they fade?

Note that links to products, programs, or vendors below are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as endorsements by ISTC, the Prairie Research Institute, or the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Why it matters

When you think about the economic impacts of agriculture, you’re likely to consider crops used to feed humans or other animals. But floriculture is also “big business.” The USDA defines floriculture as “that branch of horticulture dealing with the production of field-grown or greenhouse-grown plants for their flowers or showy leaves.” According to the US Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA NASS), in 2023 (the year with the most recently published data), floriculture sales in IL totaled $134,063,000. For the same year, the Society of American Florists, reports total spending nationwide on floral products (flowers, seeds, and potted plants) was $72.8 billion.

While the USDA NASS estimates there are approximately 263 commercial floriculture operations, throughout IL alone, most of the flowers purchased in the US are imported from other countries. Utah State University Extension notes that “As many as 80% of all cut flowers sold in the U.S. are imported, with the majority coming from Columbia, Ecuador, Holland, and African countries such as Kenya that have the climate for the year-round cut flower cultivation (Cain, 2022; Knoch, 2022; Li et al., 2016; Tegethoff, 2023).” (See Utah State University Extension site for full citations.)

Source: https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/charts-of-note/chart-detail?chartId=106472

Clearly, buying and selling flowers has a huge impact on carbon emissions just from the perspective of product distribution. Imported blooms are flown thousands of miles and once they reach US soil, they might still end up being trucked for many more miles before reaching a retail location. Beyond the fuel used for transportation, refrigeration is often required along the way to keep blooms fresh.

Like any other agricultural operation, floriculture involves the use of a lot of resources (e.g. land, water, labor, etc.) and the application of a variety of chemicals that may have negative impacts on human and environmental health. A recent review of pesticides in flower production identified 201 different compounds used, 93 of which are banned by the European Union (Pereira et al., 2021).

So, although we tend to focus on aesthetics when picking the flowers we buy, attending to any available information on the source and production practices matters greatly if we care about environmental sustainability. It’s also worth considering the impacts of any packaging involved, which might be destined for the landfill if it can’t be reused, recycled, or composted. Because of the resource use embodied in them, it pays to consider keeping ornamental flowers and plants vibrant and in use for as long as possible, and when they are genuinely wilted and no longer lovely, we should try to keep them out of landfills if possible through composting. When plant material and wasted food (collectively called “organics”) break down in landfills without oxygen present (i.e., in anaerobic conditions), methane, a greenhouse gas is produced. The US EPA reports that municipal solid waste landfills are the third largest source of human-related methane emissions in the US, accounting for approximately 14% of methane emissions in 2022.

Better options

So how can you reduce the negative impacts of the flowers you buy?

Buy locally grown flowers whenever possible. If purchasing at a florist, grocery store, or large retail outlet, look for posted information on the source of the product or ask staff for more information. Depending on your location, time of year, and the intended use for your flowers, you may be able to get what you need from a farmer’s market or directly from a farm. This gives you the opportunity to meet the grower and ask questions about their operation. Buying local also supports the local economy and populations of pollinators, depending on the amount of shelter used in production (i.e. open fields, greenhouses, etc.). And of course, you’ll greatly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions involved in distribution. According to the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG), local flowers also tend to be of a wider variety, will last longer because they’ve traveled a shorter distance to you, and may smell better, because they are less likely to have been bred for uniformity, a practice that may compromise natural fragrance. If you don’t already have a farmer’s market or other favorite source for local flowers, the following resources will help you find them:

  • ASCFG Find Local Flowers and Growers Map: https://localflowers.org/find-flowers/. Enter your location and choose a radius in miles for your search.
  • IL Specialty Growers Association Live Local Shop Local Map: https://www.specialtygrowers.org/shoplocal.html. There are a few different ways to search. Either select “Floriculture” from the “Products” drop-down menu OR “Cut Flowers” from the “Product Attribute” drop-down menu OR type “flowers” or “cut flowers” into the search bar.

If you can’t find locally grown, look for sustainably grown options. This might mean using an online service that sources sustainably grown flowers or looking for certified products in shops. Links related to certification programs below will allow you to dive into the details of the program standards if you wish.

  • ReVased: https://www.revased.com/. This company began in 2019 with a focus on “upcycling” flowers from events (more on that below), selling a portion and donating a portion of these reclaimed arrangements. When the COVID-19 pandemic caused events to temporarily be put on hold, they shifted gears and now primarily offer online orders of sustainably grown flowers and plants. From their website: ‘We are proud to source our flowers from high-quality, sustainable-minded farms in both the U.S. and South America. The flower farms we work with have achieved Rainforest Alliance Certification, Fairtrade Certification, or take other steps for environmental, economic, and social sustainability. This includes protecting forests and natural wildlife habitats; promoting farmers’ human rights and safe, decent working conditions; conserving water and soil; and helping to lessen the burden of the climate crisis. We are lucky to work with amazing farm partners who meet these rigorous standards of excellence! We also ship “farm-direct.” This eco-friendly shipping method reduces carbon emissions by bypassing many stops in the traditional floral supply chain and reducing the total number of stems being cut, as every cut stem is meant for a customer! Additionally, we offset emissions from our shipments to neutralize our shipping footprint and make our shipments carbon neutral.’
  • Rainforest Alliance Certification: https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/insights/rainforest-alliance-certified-ferns-flowers/. The Rainforest Alliance certifies products that comply with their agricultural standard which “protects ecosystems and wildlife habitats, conserves water and soil, promotes decent and safe working conditions, and ensures that farms are good neighbors to rural communities and wildlands.” According to the Alliance’s website, Costco stores in IL sell their certified flowers, plants, coffee, and tea.
  • Fair Trade Certification: https://www.fairtradecertified.org/what-we-do/what-we-certify/floral/. Fair Trade certified products comply with standards to safeguard working environments and conditions, living wages and benefits, and to eliminate poverty and forced labor. Check the packaging on products or signage at your florist or other retailer for an emblem from Fair Trade USA or Fair Trade International. According to the Fair Trade USA website, you can find certified flowers at Sam’s Club and Whole Foods.
  • Veriflora Sustainably Grown: https://www.scsglobalservices.com/services/veriflora-certified-sustainably-grown. “This third-party certification assures buyers and consumers that cut flowers and potted plants have been produced in an environmentally and socially responsible way, with practices that achieve the highest level of product quality.” This is part of the SCS Global Services suite of third-party certifications, so look for an emblem with the SCS green hummingbird logo and the words “Sustainably Grown Certified.” Veriflora products are available through various florists and supermarkets, so check with your local shops.
  • Organic:  While it is possible to find flowers with USDA Organic certification, this tends to be used for edible flowers or those used for tea. Many growers will follow organic principles without going through the formal certification process, which is why buying local is great if feasible, because it allows you ask questions and learn more about the production process.
  • The Bouqs Co.: https://bouqs.com/about-us/our-difference. This online retailer sources directly from farms that use sustainable practices.

Once you’ve got your flowers in hand, check out these tips from McGill University: How to Keep Cut Flowers Looking Fresh, With Science.

Reuse and other diversion options

If you’ve bought flowers for an event, when your festivities are done, there’s no reason to send those blooms to the landfill. Explore donation of arrangements that still look lovely, and composting when those flowers have truly faded.

  • ReVased: https://www.revased.com/pages/non-profit-floral-directory. As noted above, this company started out by rescuing flowers from events to rehome them. Since the pandemic their focus is more on online sales, but they have started directory of non-profit organization that can accept donated flowers. Currently, all the IL entries are in the greater Chicago area/northern IL. You can also reach out to them at hi@revased.com for assistance in finding organizations to accept floral donation, but bear in mind their capacity for this is currently limited.
  • Repeat Roses: https://repeatroses.com/. This company works nationwide and will be hands-on, collecting flowers after an event and delivering them to organizations to which they’re being donated. Where commercial composting facilities exist, they can also pick up donated flowers once they’re truly withered and deliver them to the composting facility. According to their website, “Some locations will offer only limited composting sites within reasonable driving distances. For those locations, we will explore alternatives to ensure we divert flowers from landfills.” In order to have this level of service, you’ll need to plan far in advance. “Four to six months is ideal to secure your date to ensure you are on our pickup schedule. The earlier you decide to reserve your date on the calendar, the more time we have to coordinate with your florist and venue. Often, it is easier for your florist to know of your plans to donate your flowers in advance so they can design your arrangements with this information in mind as it relates to vase/container rentals and arrangement structure. Additional fees may apply to events booked with limited notice.”
  • Reach out directly to local organizations that may accept donated flowers. If you are planning an event that includes flowers, reach out in advance to local women’s shelters, nursing homes, hospitals, senior services, or cancer support non-profits to see if they could reuse your blooms and work with them, friends, or family on transportation of donations.
  • Compost. Check the Illinois Food Scrap and Composting Coalition (IFSCC) website list of commercial compost haulers and processors or for tips on composting at home if you’ve got the space and the interest and you’re dealing with a bouquet or two rather than lots of flowers from an event.
  • Preserve your blooms. If your flowers have sentimental value, consider preserving them. Check out HGTV’s guidance on various methods for drying, pressing, or using resin to create keepsakes.
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Video resources for Pollution Prevention (P2) Week

In a previous post, we noted that September 16-20, 2024 is Pollution Prevention (P2) Week, and highlighted some relevant projects of the ISTC Technical Assistance Program (TAP). To conclude the week, we’ve compiled some video resources that may be of interest, whether you’re unfamiliar with “pollution prevention” or a seasoned practitioner.

“Pollution prevention,” also known as “source reduction,” is any action that reduces, eliminates, or prevents pollution at its source before recycling, treatment, or disposal. While the term may at first evoke images of smokestacks spewing dirty clouds into the sky or pipes discharging visibly dirty liquids into waterways, P2 is not just for industrial facilities. We all use natural resources, and we all encounter materials at work, regardless of the sector we work within, or in our schools or homes that may cause harm to human or environmental health. So we all have opportunities to use raw materials, water, energy, and other resources more efficiently, or to substitute less harmful substances for hazardous ones. The old proverb, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” rings true in terms of protecting human and environmental health, as well as strengthening our economic well-being.

To learn more about P2, check out these videos:

  • What is Pollution Prevention? (1 minute, 5 seconds) from the U.S. EPA. This is a very basic overview.
  • Pollution Prevention Playlist (8 videos) from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). This includes an explanation of the circular economy; tips for individuals such as donating goods, using reclaimed building materials, composting, and xeriscaping; and housekeeping tips for auto shops.
  • Pollution Prevention #P2 for Businesses (1 minute, 28 seconds). Also from ADEQ.
  • Pollution Prevention (P2) Mini-Webinar Series (5 brief videos per year). Each year the Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP) produces a short video for each day of P2 Week. For 2024, videos include “Waste Hierarchies” presenting different strategies for managing waste, “Coffee Machines,” focused on an easy way to save energy, “Conductivity Probes,” focused on saving water in industrial settings, “Anesthetic Gases” on a surprising source of greenhouse gas emissions in healthcare settings, and “About MnTAP” introducing the organization and its services. Be sure to check out archives from past years, going back to 2021.

If you’d like to learn more about perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS):

To learn more about choosing safer products in a variety of settings including your home, check out the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Videos collection, also available in Spanish.

Instructors interested in integrating P2 into curricula should explore videos from last year’s “P2 Works” student storytelling challenge. High school and college students used the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) P2 Search Tool to identify facilities reporting source reduction practices. The students created videos telling a compelling story about how these case studies benefitted relevant businesses, communities, and the environment. Visit this website for descriptions and links to the winning videos.

A webinar recorded earlier this week by the Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PPRC) entitled “Pollution Prevention in EJ Communities” (1 hr., 8 min., 28 sec.) summarizes the results of a recent two-year project funded by the U.S. EPA, including adjustments made throughout the project for better reach, engagement, and service to participating businesses.

Finally, the ISTC Sustainability Seminar Series frequently features P2 topics. Visit the series webpage to learn more and explore archived recordings going back to 2007.

 

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Pollution Prevention Week 2024: Together we are one planet

Pollution Prevention (P2) Week occurs every September and this year’s theme “Together We are One Planet” reminds us that individual actions can effect overall positive change in our environment. Are you ready to be a change-maker and move forward with plans for reducing environmental impacts at your organization?

With pollution prevention grants provided by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency, the Technical Assistance Program (TAP) at the Prairie Research Institute’s Illinois Sustainable Technology Center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign can assist you! These grants focus on assisting manufacturers within Illinois to identify areas at the product, process, and system level to minimize waste, improve energy, and increase resource efficiency. By creating a strategy for sustainable improvement, your organization can remain competitive and profitable, while protecting the environment.

Our outreach is statewide, and each grant may focus on specific sectors, areas, or training. We hope you will take a few minutes to review these opportunities and allow us to assist you.

Assistance is fully confidential, without cost, or obligation to implement recommendations. Our technical assistance specialists will work with you every step of the way, identifying opportunities for improvement, related cost savings, and guiding you through implementation, if desired.

You can schedule your free site visit today by filling out our online request form, or connect with our technical assistance team by contacting Irene Zlevor, izlevor@illinois.edu, 217-300-8617.

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Holiday gifts with sustainability in mind

Alma mater and block-I shaped cookies on a plate among other cookies
Illinois-themed Alma Mater and Block I holiday cookies. Credit: UI Public Affairs, Fred Zwicky.

Whichever winter holiday(s) you observe, odds are ‘tis the season for gift giving. Even if you don’t observe any of the major winter holidays, you’ll surely think about gifts at some point in the near future to celebrate a special occasion. If you’d like to align your gifts with sustainable values, the following ideas and resources might be helpful. Please note that links and companies mentioned in this post are for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as endorsements by ISTC, the Prairie Research Institute, or the University of Illinois.

Give an Experience

Many of us are fortunate enough to have plenty of “stuff” already, and if that’s the case for your intended recipient, consider an alternative to giving them more material goods. Experiences can often be more meaningful and personalized than physical gifts and presenting them can be an opportunity to start a conversation about consumption and its impacts on resource use, though one should not equate gifting experiences with avoiding consumption. Experiences still involve the use of material goods and consumption of resources; e.g., cooking someone their favorite dinner still requires the use of cookware, energy, and ingredients that themselves require natural resources to grow, raise, or manufacture. However, some gifted experiences may use items or resources that you or your recipient already own or would consume regardless of the special occasion. Continuing the previous example, you’re not likely to buy new pots or appliances to cook dinner, and since your recipient would need to eat anyway, there would always be impacts associated with the ingredients for the meal. Of course, other experiences may involve situations outside normal day-to-day circumstances that necessitate the use of resources (e.g., fuel for travel) we would not otherwise consume. Taking a spouse on a dream vacation or treating your best friend to a concert performance by their favorite band are examples. In such instances, it’s important to remember that giving an experience is less about avoiding resource use than shifting human attitudes and focus. The goal when gifting an experience is not to completely avoid consumption–we all consume resources as part of being alive. Rather, giving an experience shifts the focus away from material items as ends in themselves toward human interactions and the associated memories that will endure longer than most physical gifts possibly could. Memories are durable gifts! As a person who cares about sustainability, you can still try to incorporate responsible consumption into the equation if possible—perhaps by using local, sustainably harvested ingredients for the special dinner you’re preparing, buying carbon off-sets for the travel to that dream destination, or taking public transportation to the concert. The key is sharing or fostering experiences fulfills the human need for authentic connection rather than human desires for material goods, and reinforces the idea that relationships matter more than stuff. Valuing relationships between living things (in this case between people) is essential to thinking about ecosystems and the mindset that humans are a part of, rather than apart from, the rest of the natural world. Valuing relationships/connections can build a foundation for more sustainable behavior.

Give to Charity

Another option is to make a donation in honor of your loved one to a charitable organization that resonates with their interests and values. If you aren’t already aware of a specific group dear to their heart, you can search Charity Navigator at https://www.charitynavigator.org/ to find organizations by cause. The results display ratings, if Charity Navigator has adequate information to calculate one, based on “the cost-effectiveness and overall health of a charity’s programs, including measures of stability, efficiency, and sustainability.” You can filter the results by ratings, different aspects of performance (called “Beacons” on the site), state, organization size, and other factors. For example, I entered the term “sustainability” into the site’s search bar with the state filter “IL.” Charity Navigator also produces curated lists of charities, including “Where to Give Now,” “Popular Charities,” and “Best Charities.” As examples, check out the List of Best Women’s Charities, the “Where to Give Now” list for the Hawaii Wildfires, the List of Most Popular Charities. You can of course always enter keywords into Google or another search engine, but you might appreciate having Charity Navigator do some of the virtual “leg work” for you and having their expert analysis.

Note that your donation need not be monetary—you could donate your time or skills through volunteering. You might use your social media experience to help with promotion and online engagement for the literacy program for which your wife works, for example. You might even combine supporting a good cause important to your loved one with gifting an experience. For example, you might arrange to volunteer with an animal-loving friend at the local Humane Society shelter or pick up litter with your dad at his favorite nature preserve.

Give Gifts that Foster Reuse and Waste Reduction

Maybe you want to give your favorite waste reduction wonk items to help them get closer to the ideal of zero generation, but all you can think of are reusable coffee cups and cloth grocery bags which you know they already own. Here are some ideas and lists from which to draw inspiration.

Give Gifts that Reduce Dependence on Fossil Fuels

Friends don’t let friends rack up avoidable greenhouse gas emissions. Consult the following guides for some quick tips.

Give Gifts Free of PFAS

According to PFAS Central, a project of the Green Science Policy Institute, “PFAS, sometimes referred to as PFCs or highly fluorinated chemicals, are used in many consumer products and industrial applications because of their oil-, stain-, and water-repellent properties. Examples of chemicals in this class include PFOA, PFOS, and more than 3000 related compounds. The most studied of these substances is a chemical called PFOA, which is linked to kidney and testicular cancer, elevated cholesterol, decreased fertility, and thyroid problems and decreased immune response to vaccines in children. The most studied of these substances is a chemical called PFOA, which is linked to kidney and testicular cancer, elevated cholesterol, decreased fertility, and thyroid problems and decreased immune response to vaccines in children.” PFAS persist in the environment and pollute even the most remote places. Check out ISTC’s information and work on PFAS. This recent video from Bloomberg tells the fascinating story of how one woman uncovered how PFAS pollution became prevalent in her area.

So, these substances are clearly bad news for human and environmental health, but they’re in lots of consumer products—how can you help friends and family avoid exposure? Check out https://pfascentral.org/pfas-free-products/ for a list of PFAS-free outdoor gear, apparel, shoes, personal care products, baby gear, furniture, food ware, carpets and rugs, textiles, and home maintenance products.

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What is Pollution Prevention?

US EPA Waste Management Hierarchy including pollution prevention
A version of the U.S. EPA Waste Management Hierarchy showing pollution prevention. See https://www.epa.gov/smm/sustainable-materials-management-non-hazardous-materials-and-waste-management-hierarchy for the more typical version.

September is a time to think about pollution prevention, aka P2, because the third week of September every year is celebrated as Pollution Prevention (P2) Week in the U.S. In 2023, P2 Week will be September 18-22. As you mark your calendar, you may ask yourself—what exactly is pollution prevention, and how can I contribute to the effort?

First, let’s take a moment to consider what pollution itself is. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines pollution as “any substances in water, soil, or air that degrade the natural quality of the environment, offend the senses of sight, taste, or smell, or cause a health hazard. The usefulness of the natural resource is usually impaired by the presence of pollutants and contaminants.” So, pollution is the contamination of the environment by potentially harmful substances. If you think of a polluted environment as analogous to a human body with harmful chemicals in it or disease, then it’s easy to think of pollution prevention as analogous to disease prevention. You’ve probably heard the old quote from Benjamin Franklin, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Although Franklin was talking about the prevention of house fires, in modern times, the phrase has come to be used in the sense of health care. It means that taking preventative measures (e.g., exercising, watching what you eat, getting enough sleep, etc.) is a much more sensible strategy to take, wherever possible, than waiting until disease sets in and then working to treat it. It’s far better to avoid a problem than to have to try to solve the problem afterward.

Thus, pollution prevention is the sensible strategy of preventing the release of harmful substances into the environment, aka source reduction, to avoid the negative impacts of pollution and the cost, time, energy, and other resources that would otherwise need to be expended on environmental clean-up after the fact. Or, as the U.S. EPA states, pollution prevention is “actively identifying equipment, processes, and activities which generate excessive wastes or use toxic chemicals and then making substitutions, alterations, or product improvements.” P2, or source reduction, “is fundamentally different and, where feasible, more desirable than recycling, treatment or disposal. It is often more cost effective to prevent pollution from being created at its source than to pay for control, treatment and disposal of waste products.  When less pollution is created, there are fewer impacts to human health and the environment.”

P2 practices for manufacturing and industrial sectors might entail using less toxic cleaners, less hazardous ingredients or process inputs, conserving energy and water, and reducing waste through the reuse of materials such as drums or pallets. Manufacturers and supporting industries in Illinois can also contact the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC ) Technical Assistance Program (TAP) to learn more about U.S. EPA-funded P2 assistance available free of charge to members of the aerospace, automotive, chemical, food and beverage, and metal manufacturing and fabrication sectors. See https://uofi.box.com/s/ypoep56408o4kk5pl0qpt2ojpwyo82qh and https://uofi.box.com/s/1crril27e0td9nd3j3njgh49mzoom0q5 for details.

The principles of P2 can be applied to any sector or effort and in homes and schools. It’s all about more efficient use of valuable resources, such as energy and water, using less-toxic materials and products, and avoiding the generation of waste so you don’t have to deal with as many disposal considerations. So, if you practice waste reduction by eliminating disposable products and single-use plastics, if you purchase and use energy-efficient appliances and weatherize your home for the winter, if you look for and fix leaky pipes or faucets, or if you use safer cleaners, you’re practicing P2!

Use the following resources to learn more about P2 and how you can contribute to “preventative medicine” for environmental health and our collective human health which depends upon a healthy environment.

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Back-to-School tips for more sustainable supplies

office supplies
Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash

It hardly seems possible, but August is just around the corner, and for many K-12 schools and institutions of higher education in Illinois, that means it’s back-to-school season. Whether you’re a parent with a school supply list in hand, a college student preparing for a new semester, or just someone in the market for office supplies, the following suggestions can help you make more sustainable choices as a consumer.

Please note that ISTC does not endorse, either explicitly or implicitly, any manufacturer, brand, vendor, product, or service. Information about specific products, brands, manufacturers, or vendors is provided for reference only and should not be construed as an endorsement. Also, please be aware that this list of suggestions and alternatives to consider is by no means exhaustive and is meant simply to inspire you to be more intentional in your consumption and to consider the impacts of everyday items.

First, shop your own supplies & reuse/use up what you already have.

Parents of elementary-aged children will likely relate to the experience of kids cleaning out their lockers or desks at the end of a school year and bringing home partially used notebooks, used folders, pens, pencils, etc. While it’s possible that some items from the previous academic year are nearly worn out, or that these items might be used up over the summer for non-school activities, it’s also likely that at least some tools and supplies will still have useful life left when it’s time to begin a new school year. Designate a closet, shelf, or storage bin in your home or office to store school or office supplies that aren’t currently in use, so that when you need such supplies, you can quickly check your existing inventory and draw from it before you go shopping. Establishing this habit will save both money and the resources used to manufacture the supplies in question.

Shop for gently or never used supplies at a creative reuse center.

If the items you need aren’t part of your existing inventory, check to see if there is a creative reuse center in or near your community. These centers accept donations of supplies for art and education, as well as non-traditional materials that might be used for arts, crafts, school projects, lessons, and home décor, which would otherwise be sent to the landfill. These “non-traditional materials” might be hard-to-recycle items, or simply objects of visual or textural interest that might be transformed in a creative way. Examples of creative reuse include painting an old tin and using it as a planter, turning fabric scraps into a quilt, or making a collage from colorful buttons, bottle caps, or photos. Donations to creative reuse centers typically come from businesses, manufacturers, local institutions, and members of the general public. Such centers then resell the donated items for profit or to support charitable organizations or initiatives while reducing waste and encouraging reuse. Think of them as thrift stores focused on art and office supplies. Some donated items have never been used. Like checking your own inventory before buying new, shopping at creative reuse centers will not only conserve resources by ensuring products remain in use and out of landfills for as long as possible, but they also typically save consumers money as compared to shopping for brand new items. So, once you’ve checked your own inventory of supplies, check your community’s pool of supplies. Multiple creative reuse centers exist in Illinois. Champaign-Urbana is served by the Idea Store, while the WasteShed operates creative reuse centers in Chicago and Evanston. Chicago is also served by Creative Chicago Reuse Exchange (CCRx). SCARCE serves DuPage County and is in Addison, IL. Springfield residents can shop at the Creative Reuse Marketplace. Keep in mind that other resale shops and thrift stores might also have office supplies, so if your community doesn’t have a creative reuse center, you might still be able to find “new to you” supplies that would otherwise have been wasted. Creative reuse centers can be found throughout the U.S., so if you’re reading this from outside Illinois, do an Internet search for “creative reuse center + [name of your state].”

Choose refurbished devices and remanufactured ink and toner cartridges.

Continuing the theme of reusing existing products before buying new ones, if you’re in the market for a new laptop or other electronic device, consider searching for a certified refurbished device first. While you would be wise to think twice before purchasing “used” items from a complete stranger on a platform like eBay or Craigslist, certified refurbished items have been restored to “like new” condition and verified by technicians to be fully functional. Quality is thus not an issue. But because these items can’t be sold as new, they’re typically available at a discount when compared to genuinely new items. Another win-win for the conservation of resources and money! Many companies such as Best Buy, Dell, or Amazon make it easy for consumers to find refurbished devices in their online stores. The downside of shopping for refurbished tech is that you can’t guarantee you’ll find the exact model or item you’re looking for at the precise time you search; it depends on what is available.

There are also non-profit and for-profit organizations throughout the U.S. which refurbish electronics (typically donated) and resell them at a discounted price to individuals who might otherwise not be able to afford such equipment. These organizations address both social and environmental aspects of sustainability, helping to bridge the digital divide while extending the useful life of products and stemming the ever-growing tide of e-waste. Keeping these entities in mind is great if you or someone you know needs help obtaining a device, or, on the other hand, if you’d like to donate an older device so someone else can benefit from it. You’ll find that reputable businesses in this sector can provide certification of data destruction, so security need not be a concern. Some of these organizations include a job training program, enhancing their positive impacts on communities. Some may also provide electronics recycling services to businesses, responsibly recycling devices that can’t be reused, and refurbishing and redistributing those that can. REcompute began in Champaign-Urbana, IL, and has expanded to Danville, IL, Los Angeles, CA, and is coming soon to Atlanta, GA. PCs for People has ten locations in the U.S., including two in IL (Oak Forest and Belleville). Free Geek began in Portland, OR, and multiple communities in the U.S. and abroad have started their own independent Free Geek organizations. Repowered in St. Paul, MN, is another example.

Remanufactured ink and toner cartridges have been professionally cleaned, refilled, and tested, decreasing demand for the plastics and other materials used to create the cartridges themselves. Life-cycle assessments (LCAs) have even shown that remanufactured cartridges have lower environmental impacts than brand-new cartridges. And again, you’ll save money as well as resources by practicing reuse.

Choose items that are refillable.

If you must buy a brand-new item, look for options that will foster future reuse through refilling. The classic example (and the one most likely to be compatible with K-12 supply lists) is choosing a refillable fountain, gel, or ballpoint pen instead of a disposable one. There are plenty of examples of such pens, but one that also incorporates recycled content is Pilot’s B2P or Bottle 2 Pen. B2P is made from recycled beverage bottles, is available as a ball-point or gel roller, and uses the same ink refill cartridges (available in several colors) that work in several other Pilot pens. For more info, see https://pilotpen.us/FindBrand and select “Bottle 2 Pen B2P” from the drop-down menu. The pens are 86-89% recycled content depending on pen type; product descriptions for the ball points say they are 83% post-consumer recycled material.

Mechanical pencils are a similar refillable option that immediately comes to mind. Bic produces an example of a mechanical pencil with recycled plastic content.

Refillable notebooks give you the compact feel of a spiral-bound notebook, as compared to a bulky three-ring binder, but like binders, allow you to insert new pages as needed or rearrange the order of notes. Some examples include Kokuyo Binder Notebooks, Lihit Lab, Filofax, and Minbok.

Dry erase markers are even available in refillable versions, such as the Pilot V Board Master or those from Auspen. The Stabilo Boss is an example of a refillable highlighter. Permanent markers such as those from Pilot can be refilled. Refillable acrylic markers are also available from brands like Montana. Crayola also has a DIY Marker Maker set, but they unfortunately don’t sell a refill pack. However, these could conceivably be refilled with inks available from other companies.

Choose new items made from recycled materials and look for high PCR content.

If refillable options aren’t available or applicable to some supplies on your list, try to find options made from recycled materials. When comparing options, examine product labels and descriptions for the percentage of “post-consumer recycled” content or “PCR.” These are materials that have been used by consumers and collected via recycling programs, so when you buy a product with the highest amount of PCR you can, you are genuinely “closing the loop” and making recycling effective and economically feasible by helping to create market demand for recycled materials. You’ve probably read articles about materials collected for recycling that ultimately don’t get recycled because there’s a lack of market for the commodities. That sort of thing has led some community recycling collection programs to stop altogether or to stop accepting certain materials. But most of the time, if a recycling collection program accepts a material it’s because they have an outlet for it; it wouldn’t make sense to collect materials that couldn’t be sold. The best things you can do as a consumer is to keep recycling the proper materials accepted by your local program, keep items NOT accepted by your collection program out of your recycling bins (contaminants can indeed ruin batches of materials collected or harm equipment at waste sorting and processing facilities), AND whenever possible, buy items with PCR content. Note that if a product is described as having a certain percentage of recycled content but there’s no mention of PCR, it’s likely that the recycled content is post-industrial (aka pre-consumer) rather than post-consumer. That entails excess materials or trimmings from a manufacturing process used as feedstock for the creation of the same or different products without ever being used by a consumer first (e.g., cardboard trimmings repulped and put back into the process of making boxes). Odds are, if a company has successfully incorporated PCR into their products, they will want to point it out on the label or in the product description/details in online stores. This blog post from EcoEnclose provides a good overview of PCR vs. post-industrial content.

That said, here are just a few examples of common supplies made from PCR (besides those already mentioned above). You can find more by searching the Internet for “PCR content + [product].”

  • Standard (non-mechanical) pencils can be made from recycled newspaper, like these from Amber and Rose.
  • Decomposition notebooks, sketchbooks, and filler paper are made from 100% PCR paper. They also offer refillable ball-point pens made from 90% PCR plastic and three-ring binders made from 85% PCR plastic.
  • Everyday Recycler provides this list of backpacks containing recycled plastic.
  • 100% PCR printer paper is available, such as that from Printworks, AbilityOne, or Target.
  • ACCO paper clips contain 90% recycled materials, 50% of which is PCR.

Hopefully, this has given you some ideas for considerations and criteria to keep in mind when looking for school and office supplies. There are certainly other product categories and other factors that can be considered (e.g. more renewable materials, plastic-free items, items manufactured with renewable energy, etc.), but the suggestions above are a great start. Students, good luck in your classes, and may everyone else be productive while also conserving resources!

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Illinois Farm to Food Bank Feasibility Study report now available online

Cover page of Farm to Food Bank report

As reported in previous posts, the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center Technical Assistance Program (TAP) has been collaborating with Feeding Illinois, the Illinois Farm Bureau, the Illinois Specialty Growers Association, and other stakeholders to explore ways to reduce food waste from farms while also recovering nutritious fresh foods to increase the state’s food supply and help citizens facing food insecurity.

Recently, project partners released the initial feasibility study report from the first year of this project, entitled Exploring the Development of an Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program. The report is available in IDEALS, the University of Illinois’ institutional repository.

Through interviews, surveys, focus groups, and pilot projects it became clear that a Farm to Food Bank program would be welcomed by both the farming and food banking communities in Illinois. Such programs are defined in the Code of Federal Regulations [at 7 CFR 251.10(j)] as “the harvesting, processing, packaging, or transportation of unharvested, unprocessed, or unpackaged commodities donated by agricultural producers, processors, or distributors for use by Emergency Feeding Organizations (EFOs)” – i.e., hunger relief agencies. Several such programs exist throughout the United States, though not in every state (for examples, see the “Lessons from Other Farm to Food Bank Programs” section of this report). While commonly referred to as Farm to Food Bank, these programs can also operate as Farm to Food Pantry programs.

While this is an ongoing research project, this report serves to demonstrate research efforts undertaken from December 2020 – February 2022 that have led to this conclusion along with identifying strengths, weaknesses, threats, opportunities, and recommendations for a statewide Farm to Food Bank program.

Recommendations for 2022 and beyond include the following:

Three essential aspects of a farm to food bank program1. A Farm to Food Bank program should have three primary goals:
➢ Support farmers by providing a secondary market for off-grade and  surplus products.
➢ Increase access to local, nutritious foods.
➢ Reduce food waste/surplus on farms and associated energy and resources.

2. Equity must be an essential part of the program.
3. Seek out partnerships with existing aggregation and processing centers.
4. Seek out partnerships with new food pantries.
5. Make Feeding Illinois and their member food banks a staple at ag-focused and food access events.
6. Increase communication between food banks.
7. Ensure buy-in from food banks and food pantries.
8. Improve capacity and resources at the food pantries.
9. Connect a Farm to Food Bank program with existing
technology platforms.
10. Diversify funding sources. Develop an advocacy plan to pursue public and private support.
11. Establish an advisory board to guide the actions of the Farm to Food Bank program.
12. Develop guidance and educational programs for farmers.
13. Measure success by more than just pounds of donated food.
14. Hire a dedicated employee to manage the Farm to Food Bank program.
15. Adapt the program as needed.
16. Continue piloting Farm to Food Bank strategies around the state.

While these recommendations can serve to guide Farm to Food Bank efforts, further research is needed to uncover opportunities and test collection and distribution strategies. ISTC and Feeding Illinois will collaborate to continue this research for the remainder of 2022 into 2023. The project team will continue outreach and engagement efforts to both increase participation and gather feedback on the program. They will also continue to work with Rendleman Orchards, which participated in the first pilot project of the study, as well as conducting additional pilot projects. In the coming year, ISTC and Feeding Illinois will also work with farmers markets around the state to test aggregation strategies.

Read more about this project on the “Project Descriptions” section of the TAP website.

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US EPA releases report on environmental impacts of US food waste

EPA infographic on environmental impacts of US food waste
Image from US EPA Office of Research and Development.

On November 30, 2021, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a new report entitled “From Farm to Kitchen: The Environmental Impacts of U.S. Food Waste (Part 1).”

This report reveals the climate and environmental impacts of producing, processing, distributing, and retailing food that is ultimately wasted and projects the environmental benefits of meeting the US goal to prevent 50 percent of food waste by 2030. The report was prepared to inform domestic policymakers, researchers, and the public, and focuses primarily on five inputs to the US cradle-to-consumer food supply chain — agricultural land use, water use, application of pesticides and fertilizers, and energy use — plus one environmental impact — greenhouse gas emissions.

This report provides estimates of the environmental footprint of current levels of food loss and waste to assist stakeholders in clearly communicating the significance; decision-making among competing environmental priorities; and designing tailored reduction strategies that maximize environmental benefits. The report also identifies key knowledge gaps where new research could improve our understanding of US food loss and waste and help shape successful strategies to reduce its environmental impact.

The new report reveals that each year, the resources attributed to US food loss and waste are equivalent to:

  • 140 million acres agricultural land – an area the size of California and New York combined;
  • 5.9 trillion gallons blue water – equal to the annual water use of 50 million American homes;
  • 778 million pounds pesticides;
  • 14 billion pounds fertilizer – enough to grow all the plant-based foods produced each year in the United States for domestic consumption;
  • 664 billion kWh energy – enough to power more than 50 million US homes for a year; and
  • 170 million MTCO2e greenhouse gas emissions (excluding landfill emissions) – equal to the annual CO2 emissions of 42 coal-fired power plants

In short, significant resources go into growing, processing, packaging, storing, and distributing food. Thus, the most important action we can take to reduce the environmental impacts of uneaten food is to prevent that food from becoming waste in the first place.

A companion report, “The Environmental Impacts of U.S. Food Waste: Part 2,” will examine and compare the environmental impacts of a range of management pathways for food waste, such as landfilling, composting, and anaerobic digestion. EPA plans to complete and release this second report in Spring 2022. Together, these two reports will encompass the net environmental footprint of US food loss and waste.

Read the full report at https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-11/from-farm-to-kitchen-the-environmental-impacts-of-u.s.-food-waste_508-tagged.pdf.  (PDF document, 113 pages)

For questions, contact Shannon Kenny, Senior Advisor, Food Loss and Food Waste, US EPA Office of Research and Development.