16
Let’s Talk Trash! MAR- APR 2022
©2021-2022 The Keenan Group, Inc
aaron@usstn.com c: (615) 982-2998 w: (615) 227-2275 f: (615) 746-5211 Project Manager AARON WOLFE
DID YOU KNOW ... FOOD
How much food waste is there in the United States? Food waste is estimated at between 30-40% of the food supply. This estimate, based on estimates from USDA’s Economic Research Service of 31% food loss at the retail and consumer levels, corresponded to approximately 133 billion pounds and $161 billion worth of food in 2010. This amount of waste has far-reaching impacts on society: Wholesome food that could have helped feed families in need is sent to landfills. Land, water, labor, energy, and other inputs are used in producing, processing, transporting, preparing, storing, and disposing of discarded food. What causes food loss and waste? Food loss occurs for many reasons, with some types of loss—such as spoilage—occurring at every stage of the production and supply chain. Between the farm gate and retail stages, food loss can arise from problems during drying, milling, transporting, or processing that expose food to damage by insects, rodents, birds, molds, and bacteria. At the retail level, equipment malfunction (such as faulty cold storage) , over-ordering, and culling of blemished produce can result in food loss. Consumers also contribute to food loss when they buy or cook more than they need and choose to throw out the extras. Does the U.S. have a goal to reduce food loss and waste? In 2015, the USDA joined with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to set a goal to cut our nation’s food waste by 50 percent by the year 2030. How is food loss and waste defined in the context of the U.S. reduction goal? USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) defines food loss as the edible amount of food, postharvest, that is available for human consumption but is not consumed for any reason. It includes cooking loss and natural shrinkage (for example, moisture loss) ; loss from mold, pests, or inadequate climate control; and food waste. For the reduction goal, USDA is adopting the convention of using the general term “food loss and waste” to describe reductions in edible food anywhere along the food chain. In some of the statistics and activities surrounding recycling,
How can you waste less food?
Check the boxes! Take only what you can eat. Eat what you take. Store leftovers for later. Learn how to store food so it lasts longer. Plan meals ahead of time. Use what is in the refrigerator first. Freeze uneaten food. Use your extra food in a new recipe.
WASTE IS Trash!
Share food with others. Compost food scraps.
3
the term “waste” is stretched to include non-edible (by humans) parts of food such as banana peels, bones, and egg shells. What are some ways to reduce food loss and waste? The best approach to reducing food loss and waste is not to create it in the first place. Waste can be avoided by improving product development, storage, shopping/ordering, marketing, labeling, and cooking methods. If excess food is unavoidable, recover it to donate to hunger-relief organizations so that they can feed people in need. Inedible food can be recycled into other products such as animal feed, compost and worm castings, bioenergy, bioplastics and clothing. Pictured to the far left: USDA and EPA created the food recovery hierarchy to show the most effective ways to address food waste.
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker