Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Here’s something that might surprise you -- the average Michigander spends nearly $800 a year on food they never eat.
For a family of four, that number jumps to about $3,000.
And it’s not just hitting your wallet; all that wasted food ends up in a landfill, where it releases harmful greenhouse gases into the air.
In Michigan, about 2 billion pounds of food waste is generated every single year, and in Sterling Heights, it’s about 50 million pounds a year.
But the city is doing something about it.
It’s called “Make Food Not Waste,” a new pilot program that gives residents a practical way to compost food scraps, reduce waste, and save money.
Alexis Weinberg, the sustainability planner for Sterling Heights, and Sarah Fisher, sustainability commission chair for the city, joined Local 4 Live to talk about the program.
Welcome to the official YouTube channel of WDIV Local 4 News in Detroit!
Expect more coverage of Southeast Michigan and surrounding communities with breaking news, weather, original reporting, investigations, and local sports.
We’re proud to be part of the Metro Detroit community.
Watch more from Local 4 on YouTube: youtube.com/@ClickOnDetroitLocal4WDIV/videos
📰 More news stories: clickondetroit.com
▶️ Watch Local 4 News live: clickondetroit.com/live
📩 Sign up for Local 4 newsletters: clickondetroit.com/account/newsletters
Here’s something that might surprise you -- the average Michigander spends nearly $800 a year on food they never eat.
For a family of four, that number jumps to about $3,000.
And it’s not just hitting your wallet; all that wasted food ends up in a landfill, where it releases harmful greenhouse gases into the air.
In Michigan, about 2 billion pounds of food waste is generated every single year, and in Sterling Heights, it’s about 50 million pounds a year.
But the city is doing something about it.
It’s called “Make Food Not Waste,” a new pilot program that gives residents a practical way to compost food scraps, reduce waste, and save money.
Alexis Weinberg, the sustainability planner for Sterling Heights, and Sarah Fisher, sustainability commission chair for the city, joined Local 4 Live to talk about the program.
Welcome to the official YouTube channel of WDIV Local 4 News in Detroit!
Expect more coverage of Southeast Michigan and surrounding communities with breaking news, weather, original reporting, investigations, and local sports.
We’re proud to be part of the Metro Detroit community.
Watch more from Local 4 on YouTube: youtube.com/@ClickOnDetroitLocal4WDIV/videos
📰 More news stories: clickondetroit.com
▶️ Watch Local 4 News live: clickondetroit.com/live
📩 Sign up for Local 4 newsletters: clickondetroit.com/account/newsletters
