StopWaste: Reducing food waste

Underground has worked with StopWaste since 2006, having launched their food scrap composting (recycling), and has continued to refine the program and message since. The Make it Second Nature campaign was perhaps the most successful campaign Underground had the pleasure to be a part of. A post campaign survey showed that a whopping two-thirds of Alameda county residents were aware of the campaign and nearly everyone surveyed said were more likely to compost as a result of the campaign. 

These days, there's a shift going on in the country and at StopWaste as folks realized that we had to move upstream and prevent food waste in the first place. It’s no wonder. A staggering 63 million tons of food is wasted annually in the U.S., accounting for almost half of all food grown and produced.

While still encouraging folks to recycle their organics, StopWaste has shifted its approach to reducing food waste and recycling valuable resources. While the prevention and recovery of food waste has been incorporated in schools, business and other outreach efforts, the Spring of 2017 marked the first ever consumer-facing marketing and outreach campaign for food waste prevention by StopWaste. Since 2017, Underground worked closely with StopWaste to hone the message. After evolving the campaign for the holidays, Underground developed the “For the Love of Food” campaign, reminding residents how important food is to their families, with pleasing photographs of heart-shaped food photos. This, in-turn, was paired with a campaign tagline that encouraged residents to Plan, Store, Eat, and Compost their food.