The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is proud to present the latest episode of 'On the Front Lines,' the agency’s video series profiling staff and the important work they do to conserve the environment, protect New York's natural resources, and serve the public.

"We are proud of this series, which gives the public a behind-the-scenes look at the great work our dedicated employees do every day across the state to preserve and protect the environment for generations to come," DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said. "It's also an opportunity for New Yorkers to get to know our employees and the reasons they chose careers at DEC. A special thanks to Gary Feinland for his hard work to promote composting and food waste reduction across the state.

The latest episode featuring Gary Feinland can be viewed here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zALJNwWXnF4.

Feinland is an Environmental Program Specialist working in DEC’s Division of Materials Management.  He works to reduce food waste by encouraging composting and food recovery.  Composting inedible food and food scraps can reduce greenhouse gases while also productively recycling nutrients. Feinland spreads this message through outreach to both young children and businesses across the state. 

DEC estimates that 40 percent of food in the U.S. goes uneaten--that's more than 20 pounds of food per person per month. In addition to the water and nutrients that are used to produce food that is simply thrown away, wasted wholesome food represents a lost opportunity to feed the estimated 14 percent of New Yorkers that are food insecure, and wasting food waste eliminates the potential to convert this material into energy or useful soil products through composting and anaerobic digestion.

When he’s not at work, you might find Gary tending to his garden or on a hike with his son.

'On the Front Lines' is posted monthly on DEC's YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/nysdecvideos and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NYSDEC and Twitter https://twitter.com/NYSDEC pages. Watch past episodes on DEC's YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnBbYubhbH1Xl9vDnioaZO1bSrTOLNNmw.