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We take a break from our regularly scheduled Dry January program, to discuss a new California law Senate Bill (SB) 1383, aimed at reducing food waste, and hopefully adding real soil amendments. I haven’t heard much about it. Has anyone started this program in their neighborhood yet?
I can just imagine somebody these days, “Oh I won’t separate my food scraps. You can’t make me. WAAA. WAAAA. WAAAA.”Don’t take away my freedom not to give a cr**-a** about good food, good soil or the planet.”
But hopefully not.
Food waste is key to great tasting, organic food. As Dr. William Horwath, Professor of Soil Biogeochemistry at UC Davis said in my book Cool Cuisine – Taking the Bite Out of Global Warming, “Organic agricultural is a fantastic idea, except we just don’t have enough compost to pull it off on a large scale in the U.S.” Seasoning the soil with potato peels, banana skins, and leftovers is in our best interest as eaters. It brings nutrients to the soil microbiome, which they share with our vegetables, leaving us with better flavor and nutrition. Think of the soil as a fine Bordelaise sauce, and food scraps as the herbs and spices needed to season the mix to perfection.
New CA Requirements for Handling Food Waste
California cities and counties are beginning to implement edible food recovery and composting programs outlined in Senate Bill (SB) 1383 to meet the statewide goals of reducing the landfilling of organic waste by 75 percent and increasing the recovery of disposed edible food by 20 percent by 2025.
As of January 1, 2022, all single-family residences, multi-family residential complexes, and businesses must subscribe to a curbside organics collection program from their local waste hauler. Additionally, food handling businesses are required to redirect surplus edible food to food recovery organizations like food banks to help feed those in need.
