Reduce Food Wastage To Save the Planet
September 21st, 2010
The size of the US food wastage is so huge that it could measure up to a Rose Bowl. If you really can’t imagine what a Rose Bowl could be like, here is a small estimation: About 40 percent and more of the food produced in the US for consumption will never be eaten. The major cause behind such huge wastage of food is the lack of values in the American households. The persistent cries of the mother asking the child to ‘finish his plate’ are hardly heard.
It is worth noting that only 10 percent of total household expenditures are accounted into food items which is an all-time low. America grows enough food to provide 3,900 calories per person per day which is much more than the average requirements of an individual.
Another reason that could be attributed to food waste is the growing number of Restaurants. It can be evidently said that the rate of food waste has been consistent with the growth of the idea of ‘eating out’. There are almost negligible restrictions on personal portions of food in a given helping. Moreover the buffets are characterized by much of the food being thrown out either as people taking much more than they can possibly have or as excess preparations at the end of the day.
Do we have any idea that what are the other damages that such wastage is causing apart from the very cause itself? May be these few facts may give some:
The PLOS study shows that wasted food currently used about three hundred barrels of oil per year (approximately) which accounts for about 4% of the total US oil consumption in any given year!
The waste also uses up one fourth of the total freshwater consumption of the country itself!
Another report of the researchers revealed food waste being used as land-fills rotted up and produced significant quantities of methane which poses greater danger to environmental pollution than CO2 .
Sodexo, an organization working for curbing food wastage is currently taking steps like writing blogs, publishing articles, initiating talks in order to make people aware of the alarming situation and join hands to control food waste.
