Food Waste
By Riley Capel, Mason Gabriel, Morgan Sheldon
Background
Food Waste is the intentional or purposeful discarding of edible items, mainly by retailers and or consumers. This happens in areas that are highly developed. About 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted globally per year. This ends up amounting to about one-third of all food being produced for human consumption. Reasons for food waste include mold, pests, inadequate climate control, cooking, and intentional food waste. Wasted food has far-reaching effects, both nationally and globally. In the U.S., up to 40% of all food produced goes uneaten, and about 95% of discarded food ends up in landfills. It is the largest component of municipal solid waste at 21%. In 2014, more than 38 million tons of food waste were generated, with only 5% diverted from landfills and incinerators for composting. Decomposing food waste produces methane, a strong greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. Worldwide, one-third of food produced is thrown away uneaten, causing an increased burden on the environment. It is estimated that reducing food waste by 15% could feed more than 25 million Americans every year.
Issues
Food waste is a significant problem that affects people all around the world. In fact, according to the United Nations, about one-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally, which amounts to approximately 1.3 billion tonnes of food per year. This is a serious problem because it has several negative impacts on the environment, society, and the economy.
Food waste from households is one of the most significant parts of the overall food waste stream, at least in developing countries. The problem with household food waste is the resources used to produce, transport, and distribute the food are wasted, including land, water, energy, and labor. In developed countries, households are responsible for the majority of food waste, with the average household wasting around 30% of the food they purchase.
One of the primary environmental impacts of food waste is greenhouse gas emissions. When food is thrown away, it decomposes in landfills and releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Food waste also wastes resources such as water, energy, and land that were used to produce the food. Moreover, the economic cost of food waste is substantial. For instance, food waste costs the global economy approximately $940 billion each year.
Strategies
Composting
Composting is a great way to reduce food waste and create nutrient-rich soil for your garden.
Benefits to composting food waste, include:
Reducing landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions: Composting diverts food waste from landfills, where it would contribute to methane gas emissions. By reducing the amount of organic waste sent to landfills, composting reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Improving soil health: Compost is a natural fertilizer that can improve soil structure, increase water retention, and promote healthy plant growth.
Saving money: Composting reduces the need for expensive fertilizers and soil amendments, making it a cost-effective option for gardening and farming.
Conserving resources: Composting food waste conserves natural resources such as water and energy that are used to produce chemical fertilizers.
The Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP) within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide over $9.4 million to fund 45 cooperative agreements aimed at implementing innovative and scalable waste management plans to reduce and divert food waste from landfills. These cooperative agreements, known as the Compost and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) program, are part of the USDA's wider efforts to support urban agriculture. The funding comes from the American Rescue Plan Act and the projects will be carried out over a two-year period from 2023 to 2025.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recognizes the need for community resources to address food loss and waste. Through the 2018 Farm Bill, the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP) established the Composting and Food Waste Reduction pilot program. This program supports projects that develop and test strategies for planning and implementing food waste reduction plans and composting plans.
References
Riley, G. L. (2016). Food Waste : Practices, Management and Challenges. Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Bhattacharyya, P. by N. (2022, June 21). Community Resources to combat climate change and food loss and waste. USDA. Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2022/06/21/community-resources-combat-climate-change-and-food-loss-and-waste
USDA invests $9.4 million in compost and food waste reduction projects. USDA. (2023). Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2023/02/02/usda-invests-94-million-compost-and-food-waste-reduction-projects
