The kitchen is hands down one of the largest contributors to the waste in our households. If you
are cooking and eating at home, it is likely that you are generating a great deal of waste from peels, spoiled food etc. In fact, Feeding America estimates that 119 billion pounds of food is wasted each year in America alone and the USDA says that 30-40% of the food supply in America is wasted. That is just a fraction of the picture and the information, to learn more you can follow those links above and check out for yourself!
With the rising prices of food and the environment in desperate need of some TLC, it might seem like there is not much that we as individuals can do. I'm not lobbying for better regulations and protesting restaurants that throw out pounds of fresh food each night. That is personally just not my style. I highly respect those that are called to advocate for important issues such as food waste but sometimes it can feel like there is not much that I can do as a small individual with two toddlers.
One of my favorite Bob Marley songs (Small Axe) speaks to just these feelings that always creep up. Sometimes we can feel like a small axe trying to chop down a gigantic tree. If there is anything that we can learn from this outspoken singer, though, it's that the little things do matter. Small axes were used to cut down trees for centuries before the gas chainsaw or heavy equipment was in the picture. Did it take a little more time then plowing through with a chainsaw? Sure. But a small axe can certainly cut down a tree.
The lyrics say, "If you are the big tree. We are the small axe, sharp and ready." Bob certainly always had a way with words that can speak volumes, which is likely why he was one of the greatest of our generation! Not only are we a small axe, but we are sharp and ready to come and cut down this massive tree. While I know that the song was not about food waste or the environment but about the revolution in Jamaica and his rebellion against the regime, those lyrics speak volumes about the power of the small guy.
So just imagine with me for a minute that food waste is the big tree. A very big tree that destroys the environment through overflowing landfills and carbon emissions. But us individuals in our home kitchens, we are the small axe. In order to work on taking down this giant tree, there are a few steps we should focus on to sharpen and ready ourselves. The first step is to focus on reducing the household food waste. It is an easily achievable goal to focus on our kitchens but it might take a little training, learning new methods etc--and that is the sharpening part for our small axe!
Why should this matter to us? Of course, this is an opinion based article so take my words with a grain of salt. Through my studies of the Bible, the Holy Spirit has pointed out some fascinating and eye opening things to me. I have been a Christian most of my life, and I have had a passion for the earth and animals most of my life but I always thought those two things butted heads. It wasn't until later in my adult life that some of these words in the Bible started to come alive and make complete sense!
One of my favorite Bob Marley songs (Small A\\\=\\\ throughout my life, speaks to just these fereep up. Sometimes we can feel like a small axe trying to chop down a gigantic tree. If there is anything that we can learn from this outspoken singer though, it's that the little things do matter. Small axes were used to cut down trees for centuries before the gas chainsaw or heavy equipment was in the picture. Did it take a little more time then plowing through with a chainsaw? Sure. But a small axe can certainly cut down a tree. ut down a tree. ree. a tree. a tree. tree. tree. ree. ee. e. . e correct order. Then he created man and woman, to be caretakers of the animals and land. There was a harmony in that beginning. The creatures and their caretaker. He named them. He cared for them. A symbiotic relationship. Then enters sin and everything changed.
The earth, the land and even the animals are being tainted by human greed and sin. I'm a party to that sin just as much as the next person. But there are many things that we can do to change our behaviors and habits that and be better stewards of the earth! When you think about all of the ways that we are damaging the environment, from sending massive tons of junk into the landfills to deforestation and even mining of finite natural resources, it can seem like an impossible task to make a difference. So why even bother, right!? But as the age old saying goes, the only way to eat an elephant is by taking one bite at a time. Start small. Sharpen that axe and get ready to chop that first tree down.
Join me in the next few articles as I talk about some of the ways that I have learned to reduce the food waste in my kitchen and other sustainable aspects that I am working on in my life. My axe needs a little sharpening, but I'm ready to take that swing!
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