Why is food waste a problem?
Food waste - It’s the environmental problem you're probably contributing to without realising it. So, you recycle, you have a reusable coffee cup, and take your reusable bag shopping. You’re doing your bit for the environment! But there’s one thing you’re probably not even aware of that is creating havoc for the planet. So, why is food waste a problem?
“If food wastage were a country, it would be the third largest emitting country in the world.”
— Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)
Food wastage is estimated to be responsible for one-third of all human-created greenhouse gas emissions, making it one of the biggest contributors to climate change. As this article says, “If food waste were a country, it would come in third after the United States and China in terms of impact on global warming.” I don’t know about you, but that fact left me speechless.
It’s a huge environmental concern, mainly because not enough people are aware of its serious detrimental impacts. But it’s not all hopeless! There are some easy green steps we can take in our daily lives to reduce food wastage in a number of ways.
First, here are some more facts:
How much food do we actually waste?
Picture this. You’ve just arrived home from the farmer’s market with 3 bags of produce. Lovely fresh fruit and veggies, freshly baked bread, and perhaps some eggs, fish or meat. Now, empty one bag into the bin. Wait, what?! Why on earth would you do that? Estimates show that households throw out about one-third of the food we buy (with some estimates up to as much as 50% of all food produced!). Confronting, right?
Supermarkets have been called out for wasting edible produce because it may not fit their exacting standards on physical appearance. (More on ugly veggies later.)
What a waste. It’s a waste of money, packaging, and most importantly the resources that it took to produce all that food. Especially water.
How does food wastage contribute to water wastage?
Food production is by far the biggest use of water on the planet. To put a number on it, 70% of the world’s water usage is by the global agriculture sector. When we waste food, we’re wasting all the resources it took to produce that food. Some estimates say that food wastage accounts for about a quarter of the water supply being wasted.
We can also save water by being mindful of the types of foods we eat. Production of meat requires around 10 times more water than grain and vegetables. Dairy has similar stats, with cow’s milk taking between two and six times the amount of water compared to plant based milks. This doesn’t mean that we all need to avoid meat and dairy altogether. Any amount of awareness and a reduced intake of these foods will still make a positive impact.
How does food wastage create greenhouse gases?
About half of the rubbish in landfill is food. This might not seem like a big issue because it breaks down, right? Wrong. Without the right conditions, the food cannot break down but only rots, releasing methane which has an exceedingly harmful impact on the environment. In fact, methane is thought to be 20 times more damaging to the environment than carbon dioxide.
Of course, this doesn’t take the focus off the detrimental impacts of burning fossil fuels or the effects of the transport industry. Immediate impacts to reduce those areas are absolutely critical to reduce climate change. However, food wastage is an area that each of us has the ability, and responsibility, to change – starting today!
Here’s what you can do:
Plan ahead - A weekly meal plan is a great way to buy the right amount and not succumb to impulse buying when shopping (especially tricky when you’re hungry!). Allow for 1-2 nights per week to use up your leftovers. More tips in our zero-waste kitchen post.
Buy only what you need - Buy items you need based on your meal plan. If you find a great deal on sale, make sure you have a plan to use it, store it or freeze it.
Embrace ugly - The food production industry caters for what we buy, so will dispose of anything that’s a little different (2-legged carrots, for example). These foods are edible and taste the same, but just doesn’t look the way we might expect it to. In this way, the food industry wastes around 20% of the food before we have the chance to buy it. Put your money where your mouth is and get behind companies like Ugly Food (Singapore) or Imperfect Market (Australia) for your ugly veg!
Eat your leftovers - Store leftovers so they keep well, with wax wraps or reusable containers. Use them up in the 1-2 days after cooking to ensure they aren’t wasted. Leftovers provide an easy and instant lunch idea, or get creative and upcycle them into something different to keep things interesting!
Freeze - You can freeze almost anything! Fruit, veggies, stock, nuts, cooked rice and pasta, and the list goes on. Don’t leave it in there too long though. Check out this helpful list of how long things can keep.
Best Before and Use By dates - Know the difference between the two. Use By date (a.k.a Expiration Date) means that the food is no longer deemed edible after that date, so don’t risk it. Best Before dates are a guide for highly perishable foods, indicating the likely date that the ideal quality can be assured. (Additionally, retailers use Sell Before dates which is different again. This is designed to move stock more quickly but does not indicate that the food is no longer edible. It can also provide a chance to pick up items on sale approaching Sell By dates).
Compost - Even doing all of the above, you will still have some food to dispose of. Rather than sending it to landfill, the best option is composting. Bokashi bins are a great option, especially for those of us with smaller homes. These bins use the fermentation process break food down quickly and without the smell.
Sharewaste - If composting is not for you, there is still another option before resorting to landfill. Sharewaste, as the name suggests, is a waste sharing program. You simply search your area for someone who is willing to take your waste. Ideal for those of us without much of a garden! Of course, if you have a farm or garden, you can offer to take other people’s compost too!
Donate - There are of course social and moral implications around wasting food too. Those of us who are lucky to have enough can make a concerted effort to reduce our waste. If you can, donate. Organisations like The Hunger Project and Action Against Hunger are working to create sustainable solutions to help communities in need overcome hunger and poverty.
Make a change
There are so many ways to reduce food waste, and we’ve probably just scratched the surface! We can all start making a change by consciously reducing what we buy, using what we have and reducing food waste going to landfill as much as possible. Even with small changes, you can personally make a big impact.
So, now you know why food waste is such a big problem, what are 2 or 3 new ideas that you can try to reduce your waste today? Challenge yourself to make a change!
What’s your best tip to reduce food wastage? Share it with us in the comments below!
Do we really throw away one-third of all the produce we buy?!