Florida Senate - 2021 (NP) SR 2034 By Senator Farmer 34-02869A-21 20212034__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution acknowledging the importance of 3 conserving food and preventing food waste and 4 recognizing April 5-9, 2021, as “Food Waste Prevention 5 Week” in Florida. 6 7 WHEREAS, despite the best efforts of advocates in our 8 community, such as Farm Share, Feeding South Florida, Meals on 9 Wheels, Pantry of Broward, Hunger Fight, United Way, South 10 Florida Hunger Coalition, and many more, food is still wasted in 11 this state and nationwide, and 12 WHEREAS, each year up to 3 million tons of food is wasted 13 in this state, while 1 in 5 Floridians lacks consistent access 14 to nutritious food for an active and healthy life, and 15 WHEREAS, all Floridians benefit from better utilization of 16 food resources, and 17 WHEREAS, with as much as 40 percent of food waste occurring 18 in households, food waste prevention begins at home, and 19 WHEREAS, it is estimated that a family of four spends up to 20 $1,500 on uneaten food annually, and 21 WHEREAS, K-12 schools and institutions of higher learning 22 have a special role in educating the next generation on the 23 importance of recovering and recycling food and reducing waste, 24 and 25 WHEREAS, Floridians have the opportunity to save shared 26 resources like water, land, and energy which are used to produce 27 and transport food that ultimately goes uneaten, and 28 WHEREAS, food in landfills decomposes slowly, releasing 29 methane, a greenhouse gas up to 30 times more potent than carbon 30 dioxide, NOW, THEREFORE, 31 32 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 33 34 That conserving food and preventing food waste are powerful 35 strategies to save money, reduce hunger, and protect the 36 environment in communities throughout this state, and that April 37 5-9, 2021, is recognized as “Food Waste Prevention Week” in 38 Florida.