environmental impact of food waste in america

Since 1974 the energy content of diet has increased 50%, reaching more than 1,400 kcal per person per day or 150 trillion per year (7). While the food waste movement across America is gaining momentum, it needs to pick up speed to help tackle one of the globe’s most pressing problems: climate change. Recent site activity . Cities in Sweden use food waste to create fuel to power public bus transit. Sub … According to the World Wildlife Federation, the production of wasted food in the United States is equivalent to the greenhouse emissions of 37 million cars. The study included additional recommendations such as starting education programs to encourage food reduction practices and sending food waste to composting facilities. From an economic point of view, food waste reductions could yield net monetary gains, since the cost of prevention would be outweighed by the savings in waste management and environmental externalities (EC 2014b). On a national level, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set a goal in 2015 to reduce food waste by half by 2030. This recommendation is therefore a good option for organizations committed to starting a donation program or those that already have one in place. Conversion of land to farming, especially via deforestation, can lower its carbon storing capabilities. In terms of economic impacts, food waste represents high waste management costs and money wasted, given the considerable amount of edible food thrown away every year. Some countries around the world are ahead of America when it comes to managing food waste. Scarcity-weighted water footprint of food. Did you know? In a study published in Environmental Science & Technology, Christopher Weber and Scott Matthews (2008) investigated the relative climate impact of food miles and food choices in households in the US. The study explores the practicality of different ways to reduce waste and provides suggestions to Columbia decision makers. This figure, based on estimates from USDA’s Economic Research Service … Labels like “sell by”, “use by”, “expires on”, “best before” or “best by” are confusing to people — and in an effort to not risk the potential of a foodborne illness, they’ll just toss it in the garbage. This article is part of a series about EPA's Net Zero program. Privacy Policy | Terms + Conditions. Most people don't realize how much food they throw away every day — from uneaten leftovers to spoiled produce. Today, the mix is more well-known than the pickles – and the company has an even smaller environmental footprint. This not only requires an astonishing amount of plastic packaging and utensils, but it also produces a lot of wasted food. distribution, transportation and retail – less than 70 percent gets eaten. Environmental Effects of Wasted Food By: Madison Milano. Decomposing food waste produces methane, a strong greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. For the uninitiated, excess amounts of greenhouse gases such as methane, CO2 and chloroflurocarbons absorb infrared … The main sources of food waste vary among countries. While worldwide food waste puts a great strain on our environment, and North America is one of the largest culprits in the matter. Implentation. 7. Keeping waste out of landfills also makes economic and environmental sense. Food waste is not only wasted money, (10 percent of the United States energy budget,) but also wasted resources and added pollution. These are all programs that support the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Food Recovery Challenge (FRC), which asks organizations and businesses to “pledge to improve their sustainable food management practices and report their results.”. Fortunately, there are many businesses that are taking notice. [4] It is estimated that reducing food waste by 15% could feed more than 25 million Americans every year. How much food waste is there in the United States? Growing, processing, and transporting food uses significant resources. The city and state efforts are trickling into US school systems too — both Maine and Rhode Island have introduced legislation to reduce the amount of food waste in schools. The Moral Aspect of Food Waste. Works Cited. By diverting food waste from landfills Food Rescue makes a substantial environmental impact: our efforts prevent 1,722,954 lbs. While disposal and waste of food is a problem of global concern, unethical food waste is not only a humanitarian concern; it is also an economic and environmental problem. Every year in the United States, approximately 31% (133 billion pounds) of the overall food supply is wasted, which impacts food security, resource conservation, and contributes to the 18% of total U.S. methane emissions that come … Here’s just how big of an issue food waste is for our planet: We currently waste up to 40% of our food globally. Issues surrounding food waste expand beyond the environmental impact associated with excess use of natural resources and emissions. This estimate, based on estimates from USDA’s Economic Research Service of 31 percent food loss at the retail and consumer levels, corresponded to approximately 133 billion pounds and $161 billion worth of … According to the Environmental Protection Agency, food makes up the largest percentage of waste going into municipal landfills. When it ends up in a landfill to rot, food emits harmful gases Source:Harvard, including methane, which contributes to food waste’s total carbon footprint of 3.3 billion tonnes Source:FAO per year. That’s roughly 400 pounds per American each year. To waste millions of tons (in America) or billions (worldwide) each year also means that all of the oil and fuel that has gone into the production of said food is wasted. Kersebaum et al. Wasting food has irreversible environmental consequences: it wastes the water and energy it took to produce it, and generates greenhouse gases — 7 percent of the world’s emissions 9 — like methane, carbon dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons, which contribute to global warming. Though food waste is often brought up around the holidays, as they are particularly wasteful, it’s not only then that we waste massive quantities of food. The type of food that is wasted has a big influence on the amount of negative environmental impacts associated with that waste. Conclusion. The Real Dill, a Denver-based pickle company, created a Bloody Mary mix out of the cucumber water used in making their popular pickles. Food spoilage, whether real or perceived, is one of the biggest reasons people throw out food. Fruits and veggies with blemishes and flaws still taste the same and are typically a fraction of the cost. History of Fast Food in the U.S.‎ > ‎ Social Impact. If Americans continue on the same path of food loss, the environmental impact could be disastrous. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American household spends more than $3,000 a year on eating out. That breaks down to 72 billion pounds of safe, wholesome food wasted every year. If included in a list of countries ranked according to their greenhouse emissions, food waste would come in the third spot, right after USA and China. Wasting food has irreversible environmental consequences: it wastes the water and energy it took to produce it, and generates greenhouse gases — 7 percent of the world’s emissions9 — like methane, carbon dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons, which contribute to global warming. Water Use. Finally, there are opportunities for commercial businesses to donate unused food like Sodexo has – donating all uneaten food to local communities in need. Laboratory of Biological Modeling, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America. In 2008 rising food prices set off unrest around the globe, including in countries such as Argentina, Haiti, Cameroon, Egypt, Afghanistan and Indonesia. Food waste contributes to excess consumption of freshwater and fossil fuels which, along with methane and CO. Economic Impact: Food loss is valued at $218 billion in the U.S. and $31 billion in Canada. Composting isn’t part of our food-prep routine, so we continue to add fuel to the fire in increasing the sheer size of US landfills. We underutilize leftovers and toss food scraps that can still be consumed or composted. When food sits and decomposes in landfills, the food releases greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide and methane. Clearly global food waste is a problem that needs to be attacked from a number of different angles. This comes with a … “Together with EPA Region 4, we are helping the City of Columbia, Fort Jackson and the University of South Carolina find opportunities in sustainable organic materials management.”. Just how much food do Americans waste? Donate food to food pantries or deliver leftovers to people who may need it. December 11, 2011 . In late 2012 global indexes started to rise again after a long hot summer and extended droughts affected harvests … Results. 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