The City of Knoxville Waste and Resources Management Office joins state and local partners to promote the community-wide reduction of food waste during Tennessee Food Waste Awareness Week, April 4-9, 2022. 

“The City of Knoxville is committed to reducing the amount of food waste that we put into our landfill,” says Waste and Resources Manager Patience Melnik, whose department recently launched the Knoxville Compost Pilot Project. “Working together with residents and restaurants, we can divert more food scraps from the landfill into backyard and larger-scale composting endeavors. By doing this, we reduce the amount of methane created in landfills and reduce our city’s contribution to climate change.”

Knoxville residents are invited to learn more about food-waste at the Bread-to-Tap Food Waste Awareness event on Saturday, April 9, 12 - 4 p.m. at Crafty Bastard Brewery, 6 Emory Place. 

The family-friendly event includes a food drive for Ladies of Charity, composting workshops, a food waste drop off, and resources to help residents reduce their food waste contributions to the landfill. 

Event attendees who donate at least five qualifying items to Ladies of Charity will receive $2 off a specialty craft beer Crafty has brewed with recovered bread donated by Paysan Bread. 

Dr. Chad Hellwinckel will teach two Backyard Composting Workshop at noon and 1 p.m.  The cost is $20, and registration is open now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/backyard-composting-workshop-tickets-309928844517.

Workshop participants get to take home a City of Knoxville tumbler composter. 

Representatives from the following organizations will be on hand to share resources and answer questions: Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Knox Green Drinks, Real Good Kitchen, Green Heron, Keep Knoxville Beautiful, and Beardsley Farm.

The weeklong statewide campaign brings together food waste leaders and experts to highlight the many issues surrounding food waste and to inspire people to take action to reduce food waste and increase food recovery and diversion in Tennessee.

For more information on Tennessee Food Waste Awareness Week, visit http://www.GetFoodSmartTN.com. 

For additional information about City Waste and Resource Management services, including the Knoxville Compost Pilot Program, visit KnoxvilleTN.gov/WasteAndResources.