I believe the primary causes of food waste in my community are the lack of awareness surrounding hunger in low-income families. Coming from a wealthy community in Montgomery County, Maryland, I’ve seen firsthand the amount of food waste produced daily in a school. I was raised by an immigrant single mother who struggled raising three kids in an expensive area, so I knew the importance of never taking a meal for granted. Seeing my peers at school throw away food without a second thought made me feel out of touch with the community around me but opened my eyes to feel grateful for a mom who always brought food to the table. It made me think about all the sacrifices she must have made to have that for me and how some people will never know that outside of me and my siblings. I believe the steps to address food waste in communities should begin with awareness. A good way to spread awareness locally is through poster campaigns in local centers and canvassing to the public about the importance of not wasting food. A step above awareness would be indirect action, which could be supporting local food pantries and donation centers that help to get food to people in need. Encouraging the donation of food rather than waste is a great way to ensure the community around me is well-fed. A further step would be volunteering for these centers and aiding in the donation process. A potential plan for this could be redirecting unused school cafeteria food to local shelters instead of letting it go to waste. I could achieve this plan by meeting with school administration and student organizations to achieve this goal of reducing food waste. My interest in environmental studies also strengthens my commitment to stopping food waste because it is not only a societal issue but an environmental one as well. The production of many foods requires lots of energy, water, and products to create it. So food waste goes beyond what is on the plate. Attacking food waste would allow me to combine my passion for sustainability with my desire to support underprivileged communities/families. Ultimately, I want to be part of a new generation that is more conscious of its waste and its responsibility to others. By turning awareness into action and action into long-term change, I believe I could help my community reduce waste and ensure no family goes hungry.

I’m a high school senior from Bethesda, Maryland who plans to study environmental studies in college. I’m passionate about environmental issues and finding practical ways communities can live more sustainably. At school, I’ve worked to help Latino and Black students advocate for themselves by meeting with administrators and helping lead trainings for teachers on racial sensitivity. I care about building stronger relationships between students and faculty and creating a school environment where everyone feels heard. So far, I have participated in creek cleanups and a natural resources careers camp to prepare myself for a future in environmental stewardship. These experiences helped me understand how important individual action is when it comes to protecting the environment. Sustainability is essential in the fight against climate change, especially as the consequences of inaction become more visible through melting glaciers and the mass bleaching of coral reefs. At the same time, global action is necessary. International cooperation is often impeded by political and economic interests, which is why advocacy is so important. Individuals must speak up not only for themselves, but for the planet as a whole. By combining global cooperation with individual responsibility, we can work together to build a more sustainable future.