In the US producing food uses up
10% of the total energy budget, 50% of the nation’s land, and 80% of all
freshwater consumed in the nation. Only 60% of the food that is produced
though, actually gets eaten. In other words, $165 billion worth of food ends up
rotting in landfills. That’s 20 lbs per person every month. Not only is this a
complete waste of resources, but it also significantly increases methane
emissions. In addition, nutrition is also lost. Simply reducing food waste by
15% would feed more than 25 million Americans every year. Food waste not only
occurs after meals though, but throughout our entire food system, from farms
all the way to grocery stores. Thus, in order to effectively solve this
national issue, we must thoroughly understand each source.
The first source of food waste is
on the farm. This waste is referred to as production losses. These losses can
occur due to a variety of reasons. First off, farmers may complete a “walk-by”,
which is when product is simply left in the field. This may occur because
market prices are too low and will not out-weight the cost of labor and
transport or because the crop is larger than expected. Another reason for food
waste on the farm is food safety scares. If there is a potentially harmful
outbreak, then demand will decrease and the possibly contaminated food will be
left on the field. Even if the demand is there and there is nothing harmful
about the product, produce may still be left in the field merely for not being
the right shape, color, ripeness, and so on.
The second point of waste in the
food system is in post-harvest. During this phase culling occurs. Culling is
the removal or product based on appearance or quality, such as size, color,
shape, and so on. Many products that are culled are perfectly edible, but are
thrown out anyway because
retailers believe they are unmarketable. Even these marketable products don’t
always make it to retail. This brings us to our third source: processing.
Processing facilities generate food loss through trimming, which includes
removing edible (skins, peels, ends) and inedible (bones and pits) portions of
the product. Trimming is becoming more of an issue since ready-to-eat food is
becoming more and more popular. In addition to trimming, overproduction,
product and packaging damages, and technical malfunctions may also generate
food waste, but these are difficult to avoid.
After the produce is processed, it
then gets transported to retailers, which are the fourth and fifth source of
food waste along the food system. The fourth source, distribution, is less of
an issue in the US compared to developing countries. This is because, unlike
other countries, we have proper transportation that is able to keep products
are the required temperature. The major issue with distribution in the United
States is rejected shipments. These shipments sit on the dock and are thrown
away if another buyer is not found before the product expires. The product is
even difficult to give away sometimes, such as to a food pantry, because
produce is delivered in bulk, which small pantries cannot handle. The fifth
source of food waste occurs at the retail level. In 2008 alone, in-store losses
in the US totaled 43 billion pounds. Much of these losses are not due to food
expiring, but instead to the retail model. The accepted model across the US is
that high waste is a sign of high quality products and good costumer
experience. In other words, food is thrown away in order to maintain an extreme
level of quality in the store. Some drivers of in-store losses include:
expectation of cosmetic perfection, expired “sell-by” date, outdated
promotional products, and overstocked product displays.
Now let’s say that a product
actually makes it past all of these obstacles; it actually gets harvested, it
passes all of the quality and appearance inspections, and it is bought before
the retailer can throw it away. Sadly, this still does not mean it will be
eaten. The sixth and final source of food waste is restaurants and households.
In restaurants, plate waste is the most significant contributor to food losses.
Due to large portion sizes at restaurants, diners often do not consume their
entire meal. If it is not taken home as a leftover, then this excess is thrown
out by the restaurant in the form of food waste. Households are also at fault
of throwing away excess food. It is estimated that American families throw away
approximately 25% of the food and drinks they buy. This waste is generated for
multiple reasons, including undervaluing of foods, confusion over label dates,
spoilage, impulse/bulk purchases, and over preparation of meals.
At first glance, this complex issue
of food waste may seem hopeless. How are we ever supposed to address every
source of losses? Is it even possible to shift towards an efficient food system
since our current one is so embedded into American society? Yes, we can. We may
not be able to make our system flawless, but there are several steps that can
be taken to improve it. These solutions – some of which are listed below - are
multifaceted. They not only require each source to be addressed but also the
compliance and support of producers, consumers, and the government. Then and
only then can we move towards a less wasteful and more efficient and
sustainable food system.
Solutions
- On
the Farm
- Revise
quality standards: by decreasing
quality standards and allow for aesthetically unappealing yet edible food
would greatly decrease products that are not harvested.
- Pass
regulations that incentivize complete harvest: this would discourage overplanting because the costs of
potential crops that are loss to environmental issues will be offset by
the monetary incentives.
- Promote
Local Food: shorter transportation
times and costs would decrease the number of products that are loss
during this time.
- During
Processing
- Find
secondary uses for trimmings:
trimmings still contain nutrition, thus they still have value. Scraps and
other by-products from trimming can be used in animal feed, compost,
other food products and so on.
- In
the Store
- Discount
Shelves: stores can offer products
that are close to expiration at a discounted price instead of throwing
them away.
- Redesign
Displays: instead of having fully
stock displays of produce, use props that make the displays seem full
without causing unnecessary produce to spoil.
- Donate: instead of throwing away pre-made food or
produce that is close to its expiration date at the end of the day, it
can be donated to local food pantries and soup kitchens, thus not only
reducing waste but also making a positive impact on the community as a
whole.
- Beyond
the Store
- EDUCATE!: Politicians, environmentalist, scientists,
farmers, and retail owners must team-up to educate themselves and
consumers about the harms of food waste. The majority of Americans,
especially those who are far removed from the food system, do not know
all of the money, time, and resources that go into preparing one meal.
Nor do they understand the harm of putting excessive amount of food into
landfills. If we educate our society on these matters, then – hopefully –
we can be more attentive and aware of the food we throw away.
Citations
Gunders, D.
(2012). Wasted: How America Is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm to
Fork to Landfill. NRDC Issue
Paper, (12-06-B), 1-21.
Gardiner, Beth. "The Economic
and Environmental Costs of Wasted Food." New
York Times [New York] 23 Apr. 2014: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/22/business/energy-environment/the-economic-and-environmental-costs-of-wasted-food.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C%7B%222%22%3A%22RI%3A12%22%7D
"Resource Conservation - Food
Waste." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 04 Sept. 2014.
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