Food Waste is a Horrible Problem in this Country
According to the USDA, 30-40% of the country’s food supply is wasted, with 31% of this being at the retail and consumer levels. In 2010, this equated to 133 billion pounds of food (almost 220 pounds per person) worth $161 billion. Additionally, as per the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, food waste contributes about 8% of the global greenhouse gas emissions created by humans. Food in the landfill takes a preposterous amount of time to decompose, and creates methane while doing so.
To help combat this issue, the EPA created the Food Recovery Hierarchy, listing actions to reduce food waste in descending order of impact. The most preferred option is source reduction; reducing the volume of surplus generated. Directly underneath is feeding hungry people. The fifth action, and second from last, is composting. While this is an excellent method to recycle inedible parts of food, it should not be the primary method of combating food waste.
Here are some of our favorite resources to help us fight the good fight:
WEBSITE A Guide to Expiration Dates
WEBSITE Central Ohio Food Waste Initiative - Save More Than Food
PODCAST Conquering Columbus (begins at 21:25)
ACTION Curbside Food Waste Recycling Sign Up
ACTIVITY Food Science For Kid: Food Waste Audit
INFOGRAHPIC Food Storage Guide
WEBSITE/ APP Columbus Food Rescue
VIDEO Food Wastage Footage 2
VIDEO Food Waste
VIDEO Food Waste is the World’s Dumbest Problem
RESOURCE Guestimator
VIDEO How To End The Food Waste Fiasco | Rob Greenfield | TEDxTeen
ARTICLE/ PODCAST How to Reduce Food Waste
RESOURCE Save the Food
WEBSITE Save More Than Food
WEBSITE Sustainable Management of Food
INFOGRAPHIC The Shelf Life of Food
VIDEO Food Waste: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
