Brightly

We’re not the only ones talking about the opportunity in our food surplus. Our friends at ReFED published a new report confirming that the amount of unsold surplus food has skyrocketed since the pandemic. In 2023, “surplus food rebounded to an alarming 73.9 million tons—31% of the food supply—valued at $382 billion.” Not only that, but surplus food is having a dramatic impact on the climate, with emissions equivalent to “driving 54 million cars… If all surplus food were grown in the same place, it would require 140 million acres of land—an area the size of California and New York combined.” This is a massive, massive amount of food—one-third of everything we grow. At Farmlink, we and our partners are dedicated to stopping surplus from going to waste and instead delivering it to communities, food banks, and churches—getting it onto tables instead of into landfills. Our surplus can be the solution to food insecurity across the country. Read more of ReFED's excellent report below.

The The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) has just released a pivotal report titled "Carbon Markets and Financing Mechanisms for Food Banking Organizations," highlighting the significant role food banks play in mitigating climate change. The report underscores that approximately one-third of all food produced globally is wasted, leading to substantial greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane—a gas over 80 times more potent than CO? over a 20-year period. By diverting food waste from landfills, food banks not only combat hunger but also substantially reduce these emissions. GFN's innovative FRAME (Food Recovery to Avoid Methane Emissions) methodology exemplifies this dual impact by providing credible evidence that food banks help reduce methane emissions as well as food insecurity. This approach aligns seamlessly with Brightly's mission to transform food waste data into detailed climate impact insights, enabling organizations to quantify and verify real-world Scope 3 emissions reductions. Kudos to our colleagues at GFN for their groundbreaking work in linking food recovery efforts with climate action. Brightly is proud to support and collaborate on initiatives that not only nourish communities but also contribute to a more sustainable planet. #Sustainability #FoodRecovery #ClimateAction #Brightly

Not to sound like a broken record but... after freezing $1 billion in funding to food banks and school programs across the country, the Trump administration has now repealed a first-ever tax on methane emissions that would have had the same impact as taking 8 million gas-powered cars off the road. ?? Now more than ever, fast action on methane - a greenhouse gas with 80x more short-term warming potential than CO2 - is crucial. ?? Grist reported that the American agricultural and waste sectors?produces almost twice as much methane?as fossil fuel production.?Food waste is a huge contributor, and something that companies, nonprofits, and local governments can all play a role in addressing. ?? Our collective action makes an impact ?? Reach out to learn about how Brightly can help you reach your food waste goals! #climateaction #methane #foodwaste https://lnkd.in/dP6AWVNn

Thanks to all who joined our webinar this week with ReFED, Sharing Excess, Schreiber Foods, and Littlefoot Ventures! Such an insightful conversation on how carbon financing and industry collaboration can combat food insecurity and climate change. If you weren't able to join "Harnessing Carbon Finance to Scale Food Rescue & Waste Reduction," here's what you need to know: ?? Food waste is a BIG issue: One-third of all food in the U.S. is wasted, accounting for 4% of US emissions and $382 billion lost. ?? ReFED found that only 2% of perfectly edible surplus food is donated, even while 47 million Americans are food insecure. It’s a solvable problem—but funding has been a major barrier. ?? High-integrity carbon credits from Brightly directly support food recovery by impactful organizations like Sharing Excess (which started with Evan Ehlers rescuing food driving his grandmother's car!). ?? Mission-oriented companies like Schreiber Foods can purchase these credits to fund food rescue and progress towards their climate and social impact goals. ?? Storytelling that integrates meaningful data with humanity—the people at the heart of food waste solutions and the people directly benefitting—is the most compelling and effective. Difficult problems need creative & collaborative solutions, and Brightly is thrilled to be in partnership with these organizations across the food system to drive change. A huge thank you to our panelists & moderator: ?? Minerva Ringland (Climate & Insights Manager @ ReFED) ?? Emily King (Sustainability Specialist @ Schreiber Foods) ?? Evan Ehlers (Founder @ Sharing Excess) ?? Andy Levitt (Founder & CEO @ Brightly) ?? Eva Goulbourne (Founder & CEO @ Littlefoot Ventures) See you at the next webinar!

Always inspired by our friends at Climate Changemakers and the impactful advocacy work they do on a variety of environmental and social issues. ?? This one particularly hits home. Check out their new campaign to address methane leaks (in our own neighborhoods!) from natural gas pipelines. Methane is 80x more heat-trapping than carbon dioxide in the short term, and limiting methane emissions now is like "pulling the emergency brake" on climate change. ?? While we tackle methane emissions through supporting food recovery organizations and helping businesses reduce food waste along their supply chain, we also fully support community initiatives like these to address the issue from all angles. True impact comes through collective action. ??

Is feeding children, supporting local farmers, and keeping the super pollutant methane gas out of atmosphere a "priority"? We think so. The Trump administration's recent decision to freeze $1 billion of much-needed federal grants to schools and food banks underscores just how volatile funding can be for these important programs. While government support is critical, financing vital food rescue requires and deserves a market solution. Brightly's carbon credits unlock a new pathway of crucial funding for food recovery organizations, and provide an avenue for corporations to invest in food rescue in their operations and beyond. Lack of funding will have far-reaching repercussions for our communities, economy, and food system. Reach out to learn more about how Brightly's credits can help businesses combat food insecurity and climate change through supporting food rescue. https://lnkd.in/d8WSHC7e

What if we could fight food waste, hunger, and climate change—all at the same time? That’s exactly what we explored in our latest webinar titled “Harnessing Carbon Finance to Scale Food Rescue & Waste Reduction,” which brought together leading voices in food recovery, sustainability, and carbon finance. Here are the biggest takeaways from the conversation: 1. Food Waste is One of the Most Pressing Climate & Social Challenges ?? In the U.S. 31% of all food produced goes unsold or uneaten, contributing 4% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions—and yet, 1 in 7 Americans are food insecure ?? Methane from food waste is a major driver of climate change (58% of landfill methane emissions come from food scraps) and reducing food waste is one of the fastest ways to cut emissions. Source: ReFED 2. Carbon Credits Can Unlock a New Funding Model for Food Recovery ?? Food recovery organizations struggle with funding—historically relying on grants and philanthropy. ?? Carbon finance – like what is available through Brightly – offers a new approach, allowing companies to purchase high-integrity carbon credits tied to methane emissions avoided through food rescue. ?? This creates a win-win: nonprofits like Sharing Excess gain sustainable funding, and corporates like Schreiber Foods support both climate and social impact goals. 3. Food Rescue is Logistically Complex—but Worth It ?? Food recovery requires coordination across donors, logistics providers, and community partners—and often happens with little funding. ?? Technology and partnerships (like those between Sharing Excess, Brightly, and Schreiber Foods) can help scale food recovery and reduce waste at a systemic level. 4. Corporate Partnerships are Key to Scaling Solutions ?? Companies have the opportunity to embed food recovery into their ESG strategies, aligning business goals with climate and social impact. ?? The future of food rescue requires collaboration across food producers, retailers, logistics providers, and policy makers. This conversation showcased the intersection of food, climate, and finance—and why food recovery should be a core part of climate action strategies. Thank you to our moderator?Eva Goulbourne (CEO, Littlefoot Ventures) and incredible panelists: Emily King?– Sustainability Specialist,?Schreiber Foods Evan Ehlers?– Founder,?Sharing Excess Minerva Ringland?– Manager, Climate & Insights,?ReFED Andy Levitt?– Founder & CEO,?Brightly #FoodWaste #CarbonCredits #FoodRecovery #ClimateAction #Sustainability

With an insightful webinar on "Harnessing Carbon Finance to Scale Rescue & Waste Reduction" featuring Emily King from Schreiber Foods and Andy Levitt from Brightly. Emily King highlights the power of partnerships in reducing food waste, stating, “We all can make a difference with our partners (employees) to do better with partnerships and our communities to reduce food waste. It is a true opportunity. At Schreiber Foods, the venture arm dedicated to sustainability propels their impactful work forward." Andy Levitt emphasizes the importance of addressing food insecurity in the context of food waste, noting, “We need to raise awareness of food insecurity. It leads to higher methane emissions and waste that we need to manage.” Brightly's commitment to sustainability shines through in their efforts. Let's continue the conversation on #sustainability, #foodinsecurity, and #foodwaste, making a positive impact through conscious actions. #DoingGoodThroughGood

Happening in 45 minutes, see you there! ? Link to register: https://lu.ma/pwjwliwr

Do you have burning questions about 1?? the role of the voluntary carbon market in food rescue, 2?? how nonprofit organizations and corporate partners can collaborate for impact, and 3?? how to use data-backed storytelling to gain internal alignment on food waste initiatives? ?? Hear from an all-star panel of changemakers in food recovery, corporate sustainability, carbon financing, and data insights discuss all this and more in our upcoming webinar this ?? Monday, March 10 at 3PM ET / 12 PM PT. If you have any questions you want to see covered, drop them in the comments below! Register here: https://lu.ma/pwjwliwr Thank you to our incredible panelists Evan Ehlers of Sharing Excess, Emily King of Schreiber Foods, Minerva Ringland of ReFED, Andy Levitt of Brightly and our brilliant moderator Eva Goulbourne of Littlefoot Ventures ??