Girl and mother with bowl of salad greens.

Be a Food Rescuer and take collective action to stop food waste! Forty percent of the food grown in the U.S. ends up being wasted, and 20 percent of food that families purchase never actually gets eaten. When wasted food ends up in a landfill, it emits methane — a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change — while also wasting the water, energy, and resources used to grow, transport, and prepare it.

This project helps students explore the connections between wasted food and climate change, and learn how they can adopt best practices and tips to reduce wasted food at home. Can you join the League of 4Rs Action Heroes and be a Food Rescuer?

Learn About Stopping Food Waste

Reducing food waste at home is a simple and meaningful way families can care for the environment, save money, and make the most of the food they buy. The resources below help families learn more about wasted food.

The Amazing Garbologist Adventure

How to Go from Scientist to Food Rescue Action Hero! In this journal you will join four garbologists who ask questions about how garbage affects people living in Alameda County and around the world. What in the world is a garbologist? A garbologist is a scientist who studies garbage. Why study garbage? Because there is a LOT of it. And more is created every day! Download in Spanish Download in Chinese

Food Waste Reduction with 4Rs Action Heroes!

Learn how to reduce wasted food at lunch with these tips from 4Rs Action Hero, Super Reducer

KidScoop Earth Tips

KidScoop News in partnership with the Altamont Education Advisory Board, created these earth tip activity pages that showcase and spotlight many of StopWaste’s student and teacher action heroes.

Did You Know?

19% of the waste stream

Uneaten food makes up about 19% of the Alameda County waste stream.

$1,500 each year

An average family of four spends $1,500 every year on food that's never eaten.

58% of emissions

Wasted food causes 58% of methane emissions from municipal solid waste landfills.

Take Action to Stop Food Waste!

Taking action to stop food waste starts with simple, everyday choices. The resources below provide practical tools, tips, and ideas to help you reduce waste, use food more efficiently, and make a positive impact at home and in your community.

Leftovers ReImagined Bingo

Did you know that eating your leftovers is one of the easiest ways to reduce food waste and reduce climate change at the same time? This bingo activity gives you ideas on how to reimagine your leftovers! Watch the Leftovers Reimagined video and get inspired to take action!

Leftovers Challenge

What better way to reuse than to create a new meal or dish out of leftover food! The Leftovers Challenge encourages students to learn new and creative ways to prepare meals using leftovers or food that is about to spoil. Using the food we already have helps us learn new ways of preparing meals and saves food from being thrown away.

Fridge Reality Check

Wasting Money on Wasted Food? Do a Fridge Reality Check to find out! In just a few minutes, our handy step-by-step guide will show you just how much food is going uneaten in your fridge every week, and also provides customized tips & tools to save money by reducing wasted food at home! Download the guide, and print it out if possible to help record your results. Watch this step-by-step guide on how to conduct a Fridge Reality Check. 2. Use your results to discover which food-saving tips can help you most, then download the tools to help you stop wasting food. 3. Bonus: See how your findings

Family Action Plan: Stop Food Waste

How will you and your family take action at home to reduce or prevent food waste? Use this planning tool to brainstorm ways to take action together.

Create Your Own Action Hero

The League of 4Rs Action Heroes is a group of everyday students doing extraordinary things to reduce waste and create a healthier earth. Students can celebrate their own actions by creating their own Action Hero Identity - complete with super hero name, illustration, and origin story!

Share Your Food Rescuer Story

Now that you've taken action, it's time to join the League of 4Rs Action Heroes and share our collective stories.

A group of waste-reduction action heroes and their sidekicks

Write a Letter

Tell Us How You're a Food Rescuer

How did you take action as a family? Let StopWaste and the League of 4Rs Action Heroes know!
Download the Template Submit Your Letter Online

Additional Resources:

Videos

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We are the (Re)Generation Toolkit

Recommended Grades: All