It’s no secret that the world has a food waste problem. Every year, billions of pounds of perfectly good food end up in landfills, where it decomposes and emits methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Not only does this have a major impact on the environment, but it also means that people are going hungry while food is being wasted. This is a critical issue that needs to be addressed.
There are a number of reasons why food waste is such a problem. For one, we live in a culture of over-consumption, where we’re constantly being bombarded with images of beautiful, delicious-looking food. This has lead to an increase in portion sizes and a general attitude of “if it’s there, we should eat.
At one point or another, all of us have had to throw food away – and it’s never a good feeling.
Not just because it ends up being a waste of money, but because it’s a waste of resources. All of the food in your household has a carbon footprint, and when it doesn’t go to use, it’s really just had a negative impact on the environment with no pay off. This is even more true if it’s a meat product.
Which is why it’s important to tackle food waste, starting with your grocery shopping habits and kitchen food storage. Check out the infographic below for some tips to start off on your fresh food journey.
Waste not, want not
It’s estimated that a staggering one third of the food produced in the world every year is wasted. That’s enough to feed everyone on the planet twice over! Reducing food waste has huge benefits for individuals, society and the planet.
For individuals, reducing food waste can save money. The average family throws away around $600 worth of food each year! Cutting back on wasted food can make a real dent in your grocery bills. It can also be good for your health, as it encourages you to eat fresher, healthier foods.
For society, reducing food waste has environmental and economic benefits. For starters, it cuts down on the amount of resources that are needed to produce food in the first place.
Farming is a resource-intensive process, requiring land, water, and energy to grow crops and raise livestock. By wasting less food, we can reduce the strain on these resources.
Additionally, reducing food waste can also save money. The UN estimates that globally, we spend $1 trillion dollars a year growing food that will ultimately be thrown away. Cutting down on food waste would free up this money to be invested in other areas, such as education or healthcare.
Finally, reducing food waste also reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Food production is a major contributor to climate change thus preventing food waste seems like a simple yet effective way to slow global warming.
Editor’s Note: This post has been updated for freshness and consistency.
