A Global Struggle
By: Sarah Son
A Global Struggle
Food waste is a much bigger problem than many people realize. Every year, 125 to 160 billion pounds of food are wasted, while most of it is both edible and nutritious. You may ask, “we’re composting this food, right?” Well, not exactly. Only 5% of discarded food can be composted, and the rest goes to solid waste. In landfills, food gradually breaks down to form methane, which is a huge contributor to climate change. Food waste, which costs the US around $218 billion every year, is also responsible for over 25% of all the freshwater consumption in the US every year, as well as being one of the leading causes of freshwater pollution. In addition to wasted freshwater, precious farmland goes to waste as well. Considering all the resources demanded in order to produce food, the consequences of food waste, and the hundreds of millions of people who only have enough food to barely survive, it is critical that we make sure the food we produce does not go to waste.
What is Lost Food vs. Wasted Food?
There are two main kinds of wasted food: food loss and food waste. Food loss is the result of food crops left in the field, food that spoils in transportation, and all other food that doesn’t make it to a store. Food waste is when food is bought, yet uneaten due to there being too much and not enough time to eat all of it before the expiration date.
Where is Food Lost?
Edible food is discarded on farms, fishing boats, during processing and distribution, in retail stores, in restaurants, and at home. On farms, 20 billion pounds of food is lost every year, due to planting more than consumers demand, or weather/pest/disease-damaged food that cannot be harvested. Sometimes if the price of produce on the market is lower than the cost of transportation and labor or if the demand of a product falls unexpectedly, farmers will leave their crops unharvested, which is called “dumping”. During the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers lost a large portion of their business due to restaurant and school lunchroom closures, which led to edible crops being plowed and mass milk dumpings. Cosmetic imperfections (“ugly produce”) are another significant source of food waste, as consumers are less interested in misshaped or blemished items. A lot of food waste occurs not only on farms but while fishing as well. In the North Sea, 40% - 60% of the fish caught by European trawlers are discarded at sea, while in the US, 16% - 32% of bycatch are thrown away by American commercial fishing boats. Discarding throws the ocean’s ecosystem off balance by increasing food for scavengers and killing large numbers of target and non-target fish species. In manufacturing and processing facilities, food goes to waste while trimming off edible portions, such as skin, fat, crusts and peels from food. In the US, about 33% of food waste from manufacturing goes to animal feed, but the rest serves no purpose.
Where is Food Wasted?
Food is mainly wasted in restaurants and households. In restaurants, oversized portions, inflexibility of chain store management and extensive menu choices affect the amount of food waste produced. According to the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab, on average, diners leave 17% of their meals uneaten and 55% of edible leftovers are left at the restaurant due to oversized servings. All-you-can-eat buffets are particularly wasteful, since extra food cannot legally be reused or donated due to health code restrictions. In US households, 76 billion pounds of food are wasted per year. The average American wastes 238 pounds of food per year (21% of the food they buy), with fruits and vegetables at the largest loss, followed by dairy, meat, and seafood. About 2/3 of food waste at home is from food not being eaten before it goes bad. Food spoilage at home occurs due to improper storage, lack of visibility in refrigerators, partially used ingredients, and misjudged food needs. The remaining third of household food waste is overcooking. Cooking portions have increased over time, and large meals often include more food than we can finish. Around 80% of Americans discard food due to confusion over the meaning of date labels such as “sell by”, “best if used by”, “expires by”, etc. In reality, “sell by” and “use by” dates are not federally regulated and only serve as manufacturer suggestions for peak quality. Standardizing food date labeling and clarifying its meaning to the public could reduce household food waste by as much as 20%.
Ways You Can Reduce Food Waste
There are lots of easy ways you can help out! Remember that every bit of effort counts.
Shop Smart - Visit the grocery store a few times a week instead of bulk-buying once a week. Also try to eat most of your food at home first before going out to buy more groceries.
Store Food Correctly- Store your food correctly so that it doesn’t spoil quickly. For example, potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, cucumbers, and onions should never be refrigerated.
Keep Your Fridge Organized - You’re more likely to grab whichever food is right before your eyes instead something in the back. If you buy a new carton of berries, place it behind the previous one you haven’t finished so you can finish your older berries first.
Store Leftovers - Store leftovers in a container so you can eat them another time. Remember to use a clear container (not an opaque one) so that you can easily distinguish them from other foods and not forget about them. Eating leftovers is a great way to save both time and money.
Eat The Skin - Many people remove the skin from fruits, veggies, and chicken when preparing meals, but there are so many nutrients in the outer layer of produce and poultry skin. For example, apple skins contain large amounts of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Eating the skin is not only great for you, but also for the environment.
Sources
