Food Waste: The Future
Image Source: ecocreative
There are about 870 million undernourished people living in the world today. And, from farm to table, the amount of food wasted by richer nations adds up to more than the body weight of all 870 million combined. If food waste isn’t reduced to help close this nourishment gap, it is only going to get worse as an additional 2 billion people come into the world over the next 35 years.
Predictions based on our current rate of greenhouse gas emissions show that the year 2050 will also see extreme environmental change. This includes a substantial rise in the average global temperature and shifts in ecosystems, storm patterns, and sea levels. And methane from food waste is a huge contributor to the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing so many of these problems. Restricting this methane output could have a great impact on the future of our planet. For instance, if the total amount of food wasted each year were composted instead, the resulting greenhouse gas reduction would equal the reduction that would result from taking 2 million cars off the road.
Image Source: Table to Table
We are not facing a dauntingly unsolvable issue. The U.S. government has at least taken notice. Six weeks ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency announced the first ever national target for food waste. “[We’re] basically challenging the country to reduce food waste by 50 percent by the year 2030,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told NPR.
At the individual level, tackling food waste can be as simple as being smart and aware of what you purchase and throw away. For instance, only buying the food you need at the store, being aware of how quickly you eat certain items, or just buying food for the next few days instead of a week or two. At restaurants, take leftovers home or order a smaller portion. Or, start composting at home.
It really just comes down to being conscious of what you consume. At the very least, perhaps you’ll think twice before throwing away that half-eaten apple.
