Food Waste Prevention Week, April 7-13, 2025, is a week-long online and in-person awareness campaign to inspire cultural changes that reduce food waste at home, work, and in our communities.

Why does reducing food waste matter?

1. It saves money. A family of four can save between $1,866-$3,000 per year by reducing wasted food. If we begin to reduce and prevent food waste, we can save money that is wasted on spoiled food.
2. It reduces hunger in our communities. In the US, approximately 40% of all food grown and produced is never eaten. That’s a lot of food wasted that could go to people who don’t have access to food. One in five people lack consistent access to nutritious food, while up to three million tons of wasted food go to landfills annually. Recovered food provides an additional source of nutritious food.
3. It protects the environment. Reducing food waste is the #1 personal action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while safeguarding critical natural resources. When food is wasted, it goes into a landfill. Once in a landfill, food waste breaks down and emits greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). Methane is 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide, making it more damaging to the environment. If we reduce food waste, we could save the environment from this damage.

SWALCO is supporting two companion bills that aim to strengthen food scrap diversion and compost market development in Illinois. The Compost and Digestate Market Development Bill (SB 1397) creates a grant program to expand and study compost and digestate use. The Food Recovery and Diversion Bill (HB1707/SB 1398) establishes a clear path for food scrap diversion from landfills.

Want to join the Feed and Conserve Illinois movement? Our website, FeedAndConserveIL.org, has everything you need to take action including fact sheets, a petition, and testimonial submissions. Visit FeedandConserveIL.org to subscribe for email updates so you never miss an important opportunity to take action!

This year’s theme is Sustainable Communities Begin with Compost!

During this week, we will dive into important topics such as soil health, climate, food waste reduction and diversion, conservation, hunger, growing healthy food, and more. We hope you’ll be excited to learn, get inspired, and find ways to make a difference.

How to Participate

1. Participate in Compost Adventures
   • Participate in as many Adventures in Composting events as you would like! They will take place all throughout the week from May 4 through May 10. The majority of events will take place on Sunday and Saturday, but there will be activities every day of the week. Our Adventure site hosts will be waiting to greet you!
2. Attend Illinois Virtual Events
   • Legislative Lunch and Learn - Register Today!
     • Wednesday, May 7 at Noon
     • Learn about Illinois policy related to food scrap and compost
   • Compost Café - Register Today!
     • Thursday, May 8 at 7:00 PM
     • Join special guest speakers from California, Brazil, and Illinois, including speakers from Lake County. This program is for all ages.
3. Host an ICAW Event
   • If you’d like to host an event or activity during ICAW, please reach out to Merleanne Rampale from SWALCO (mrampale@swalco.org). Merleanne is coordinating efforts throughout Illinois and can provide SWALCO and Illinois Coalition (IFSCC) resources and support, including a comprehensive toolkit full of wonderful information.

From April 1st through April 29th, you can recycle corrugated plastic yard signs at the Highland Park Recycling Center. Be sure to remove wire supports, which can be recycled separately as scrap metal.

• Location: 1180 Half Day Road, Highland Park, IL 60035
• Hours of Operation: Every Tuesday and the first Saturday of each month, 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM
• More Info: Visit cityhpil.com/recyclingcenter or call (847) 432-0807

Additionally, the Grayslake Waste Management facility will accept these signs, with separate containers for plastic signs and metal wire supports. The two items must be separate and placed in the respective boxes. 

• Location: 30869 IL-83, Grayslake, IL 60030
• Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM 

Please Note: These programs are for corrugated plastic yard signs only. Do not place these signs in regular home recycling bins--bring them to a drop-off location to be recycled properly, or find a way to repurpose the signs!

The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970 – 55 years ago! Today, we continue to honor this important day and celebrate Earth Month throughout April.

This year, SWALCO is proud to be involved in a variety of Earth Month, Arbor Day, and community events. We're helping to develop, sponsor, and support initiatives across the region. Some of the events include:

• Vernon Hills Earth Day Expo and Market
  • Saturday, April 26 from Noon to 2:00 PM
  • Location: Hawthorn Row at Hawthorn Center in Vernon Hills
  • Electronics, clothing and textiles, and shoe collection with activities for all ages--perfect for kids and families!
• Village of Round Lake’s Earth Day Celebration
  • Saturday, April 26 from 9:00 AM to Noon (Compost Giveback until 1:00 pm)
  • Location: Public Works Garage, 751 W Townline Road
  • Features an Earth Day “fair,” along with confidential document shredding/recycling and compost giveback
• Village of Riverwoods’ Earth Day Birthday!
  • Saturday, April 26 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
  • Location: Riverwoods Village Hall, 300 Portwine Road
  • Sponsored by Riverwoods Preservation Council
• Arbor Day at Paulus Park with Village of Lake Zurich
  • Saturday, April 26 from 9:00 AM to Noon
  • Location: Paulus Park, 200 S Rand Road
  • Tree planting, activities, and confidential document shredding/recycling and compost giveback
• Arbor Day with City of Highland Park at Ravinia
  • Saturday, May 3 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
  • Location: Ravinia Festival, West Parking Lot (Entrance off Green Bay Road)
    • 301 Ravinia Park Road
  • Tree planting, mini Earth Day fair, activities and confidential document shredding/recycling

SWALCO is also supporting special Earth Month Collection Drives (new and gently used items will be reused, and worn/torn items will be recycled):

• BLOOM at the Deer Park Town Center
  • March 17 through April 22
  • Location: 20530 N Rand Road
  • Collecting new and gently used (or worn) clothing, textiles, and shoes
• One-Day Clothing & Textile Drive at Grayslake Area Public Library
  • Saturday, April 26 from 10 AM to 2 PM
  • Location: Grayslake Area Public Library, 100 Library Lane

Please check back to the News and Events section of the SWALCO website for further details throughout the month.

Illinois EPA recently recognized the 6th grade students at Rondout Elementary as one of their statewide Video Contest winners! Their creativity in slashing trash is inspiring.

Rondout Elementary is one of SWALCO's Earth Flag Schools, a program designed to educate students, teachers, administration, and parents about the need to rethink trash habits and the impact waste reduction, reuse, and recycling have on the environment. Rondout has also worked with SWALCO to launch a composting program at their school.

Use this link to watch their video: https://youtu.be/7jDc_RohW2c?si=PojDipd0m154jdy7