{"id":1125,"date":"2017-04-21T16:14:42","date_gmt":"2017-04-21T16:14:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nclnet.org\/earth_day_pittsburgh\/"},"modified":"2020-12-14T21:49:10","modified_gmt":"2020-12-14T21:49:10","slug":"earth_day_pittsburgh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nclnet.org\/earth_day_pittsburgh\/","title":{"rendered":"Pittsburgh to host student-led food waste activities on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22 – National Consumers League"},"content":{"rendered":"

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April 21, 2017<\/p>\n

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Panel of high school students from across the nation to spotlight food waste causes, solutions at National LifeSmarts Championship hosted in the Steel City this weekend<\/em><\/p>\n

Food Recovery Network\u2019s University of Pittsburgh chapter to partner with event organizers to recover surplus food and donate for use by local partner agencies<\/em><\/p>\n

For immediate release: April 21, 2017
Contact: Carol McKay, carolm@nclnet.org<\/a>, (724) 799-5392 or<\/p>\n

Regina Northouse, regina.northouse@foodrecoverynetwork.org<\/a>, (240) 615-8813<\/p>\n

Audra Kruse, akruse@idfa.org<\/a>, (202) 220-3529<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh, PA \u2014 In celebration of Earth Day this Saturday, April 22, Pittsburgh will be home to a series of activities focused on identifying causes and solutions to America\u2019s food waste problems, led by student leaders from across the country who have gathered in the Steel City to compete at an annual national scholarship competition.<\/p>\n

LifeSmarts (LifeSmarts.org<\/a>) is a national consumer literacy scholarship opportunity and educational program, celebrating its 23rd <\/sup>season this year. LifeSmarts is a program of the National Consumers League, the nation\u2019s oldest consumer watchdog organization. The 2017 National LifeSmarts Championship kicks off this Friday, April 21 at the Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh and will feature welcome remarks by Pittsburgh\u2019s Mayor Bill Peduto.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Earth Day focus on food waste<\/strong><\/p>\n

LifeSmarts covers five topic areas in consumer literacy, including the environment, which will be a special focus of emphasis this Saturday, Earth Day 2017. On Saturday, a panel of students from across the country will share their experiences of food waste audits they conducted this spring in their own communities.<\/p>\n

“Food waste is an economic, environmental, and moral issue. We can’t think of a better day to help spotlight leadership by the next generation of consumers to fight this growing problem than Earth Day 2017,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director. “NCL and our LifeSmarts program are giving youth leaders the tools to recognize and fight our country’s food waste crisis and become part of the solution.”<\/p>\n

\u201cThe dairy industry is looking at ways to reduce food waste that will help to increase U.S. food security and enhance sustainability. IDFA is pleased to be working with the National Consumers League to expand NCL\u2019s youth leadership education program on this important issue,\u201d said Dave Carlin, IDFA Senior Vice President of Legislative Affairs and Economic Policy.<\/p>\n

LifeSmarts will partner with Food Recovery Heroes, the University of Pittsburgh’s chapter of the national Food Recovery Network<\/a>, to recover surplus food served during the event. Since 2011, Food Recovery Network has recovered 1.96 million pounds of food and donated it to those who need it most.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur model is successful because we combine the power of thousands of student leaders across the country to solve this complex issue of so many people going hungry, and the adverse impact of wasting food on our environment. Our University of Pittsburgh chapter is a shining example of positive change,\u201d said Regina Northouse, Executive Director of Food Recovery Network.<\/p>\n

Student volunteers from Food Recovery Heroes have been collecting surplus food from several locations on Pitt\u2019s Oakland campus since fall 2014. Surplus food is safely delivered to local nonprofit agencies that are able to feed families and communities fresh, nutritious meals rather than canned, sodium-heavy, non-perishable foods. In May 2016 the University of Pittsburgh’s Dining Services became\u00a0Food Recovery Verified\u00a0by the Food Recovery Network. Pitt is the first school in the ACC to be Food Recovery Verified, and Food Recovery Heroes\u00a0managed to recover and donate 9,338 lbs of surplus food from its campus in 2016.<\/p>\n

Food waste facts<\/strong><\/p>\n