Food waste in the U.S. is estimated at an astounding 40 percent, as pointed out in our interview with NRDC. A surprise that it is so high, but given the wastefulness of America, not that much of a surprise. Unfortunately food waste is a global problem as this infographic points out.
Screen reader version:
1.3 billion tons of all edible food produced worldwide is wasted or lost each year. That is 1/3 of the food produced annually.
Much of that food is wasted by consumers. While much food is wasted during production in all regions, industrialized nations waste far more food in the homes of consumers.
Food is the largest category of waste reaching U.S. landfills. In 2010 34+ million tons of food waste were generated in the U.S. Only 3 percent was recycled, resulting in 33 million tons going to landfills and incinerators.
254 pounds per person, per year.
Why is this a problem?
25 percent of all fresh water consumed is used each year to produce food that is ultimately wasted, while 1.1 billion people in the world do not have access to safe drinking water. 25 percent is equal to approximately 600 cubic kilometres, or a bit more than the volume of Lake Erie.
1 billion people are malnourished even though the world produces enough food to feed twice the world’s present population. 1 billion people is roughly 3.2 times the population of the U.S.
24 million acres are deforested to grow food each year, despite the fact that worldwide food production produces more than enough food for all. This accounts for 74 percent of the total annual deforestation. 24 million acres is approximately the size of the entire state of Indiana.
300 million barrels of oil are used each year to produce food that is ultimately wasted.
What can you do about it?
While you may not be able to reduce food lost during production, you can certainly reduce food waste at home. To reduce your personal level of food waste:
– Plan out meals and make shopping lists to determine what you actually need for the week.
– Buy in quantities you can realistically use. Avoid impulse buys.
– Don’t throw out fruits and veggies with aesthetic-only blemishes. Use-by dates are for best quality, and are not “safety dates,” according to the USDA.
– “Re-use” your leftovers by eating them for lunch the next day. If you food does go bad, compost it to avoid sending it to the landfill.
Brought to you by Door to Door Organics.
