Be a local hero! One of best, most compassionate ways to practice zero-waste gardening is to donate your garden’s excess vegetables, fruits or herbs to local food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, senior centers or other community organizations that distribute food. Consider planting extra this spring so you’ll have even more to share with your neighbors in need.
Zero-waste gardening is always working towards eliminating or reducing landfill garbage and toxins, which includes not wasting precious food and all of the earth’s resources that it took to grow it. You put so much hard work and care into your zero-waste garden, why not donate your abundance of spring greens, onions, zucchini or tomatoes? Remember that one out of six Americans needs food assistance.
It’s easy to locate the food pantry near you. Conduct an online search by typing in “food bank,” “food pantry” or “food distribution” and the name of your city and state. Also go to Ample Harvest and FeedingAmerica.org.
For more zero-waste articles by the Letitia L. Star, see Zero-Waste Gardening and How to Create a Zero-Waste Kitchen.
Letitia L. Staris a healthy living writer who specializes in writing about gardening, healthy eating and green living. To date, she has written over 1,100 published articles including many cover stories for Mother Earth Living, Mother Earth News (Women’s Health and Herb Healing special editions), Natural Home & Garden, The Herb Companion and GRIT. She also frequently writes effective marketing articles promoting natural foods, herbs, remedies and products.
