By: Shailey Heller, Community Outreach Manager
Did you know the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste is on September 29th? For The Mighty Bin, San Diego’s first ever zero waste grocery store, this day is every day!
When you visit The Mighty Bin you will find local organic food, environmentally friendly products, and no single use plastics. Shoppers use reusable containers and fill up with as much as they need instead of buying a predetermined quantity they may not use. Additionally, used jars are donated for others to utilize, and they provide many reusable, nontoxic, and sustainable swaps for common household items. Supplies are bought for each week, then left over spoiled organic foods are composted, and the rest is recycled. Their sustainable practices prevent a lot of trash from ever entering local landfills and create an idealistic sustainable grocery system of the future.
But, how can we make every day the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste like The Mighty Bin? First, how about a waste audit?! An audit will help you categorize your trash items and understand how to change your habits to properly dispose of them. The recent SB 1383 ordinance has helped San Diego start composting and preventing organic material from entering landfills, decomposing, and creating excessive greenhouse gasses. This is a huge step to try to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change!
The Mighty Bin also has many great programs such as their foodshed zero waste CSA, compost drop off, and plastic film recycling programs. Their CSA box helps provide lower income communities with fresh produce. Their compost drop off, in partnership with Humble Servants of the Worm, involves picking up a 5 gallon bucket to fill with organic waste then dropping it back off at their store once it is full and ready to be composted. Lastly, their plastic film recycling program requires a drop off of plastic film to their store that will then be mixed with wood fiber and remade into composite decking and railing that is extremely durable. The Mighty Bin pays out of pocket to allow for this program to exist.
All of their programs and revolutionary grocery systems are helping the community make every day the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, as well as Earth Day! Please visit their store and website to better understand how you can get involved with their incredible mission.
Check out their website themightybin.com, compost drop off program, and foodshed zero waste CSA box.
