Tracy Youngster is a fifth-year PhD candidate in the Rutgers University Ecology & Evolution Graduate Program. Organic Waste Management background When organic waste, like food, enters a landfill, it releases methane which is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. There are many ways to keep organic materials out of landfills including: reducing [...]

Abigail Brown Abigail Brown is a Master of Public Policy Student at the Rutgers University Bloustein School. She is a member of the New Jersey Climate Change Resource Center Climate Corps and, with support from the State Policy Lab, is engaged in a project on the topic of organic waste management to support efforts [...]

Anna Heckler Organic waste, which includes food scraps, yard trimmings, and other biodegradable materials, contributes to 30% of United States (US) municipal solid waste and 14% of US methane emissions (EPA, 2021; Gunders, 2017). Food waste alone amounts to 22% of the entire municipal solid waste stream, with 40% of the US food supply uneaten [...]