Food waste is out of control in America. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 103 million tons (206 billion pounds) of food waste was generated in 2018. This is equivalent to over 450,000 Statues of Liberty.  

America wastes a third of all food produced for human consumption according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,  which makes us the worldwide leader in food waste generation. Breaking this down nationally, this is approximately one pound of food per person per day.  The monetary value of food waste is approximately $161 billion, and the average family throws out about $1,500 a year.  

So why is food waste so high in the US?  It is not just a tendency to throw leftovers in the trash;  there are deeper dynamics that play into the wasting of food. 

Let’s consider production and the supply chain. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, 20 percent of fruits and vegetables are lost during production, 12 percent are lost at the distribution and retail level and a further 28 percent are lost at the consumer level. Shoring up the mechanics of  production, supply chain and even consumer factions could significantly reduce food waste. 

In America, we have come to expect our food to look beautiful. The perfect apple with no blemishes, the firm Romaine head of lettuce, and perfectly formed carrots are the expectation. Retailers have learned not to place inferior produce in their aisles, and as a result, this food is taken to landfills. 

The environmental impact of food rotting in landfills is methane. As food rots in landfills, methane, a greenhouse gas, emits 28 to 36 times more than the carbon that comes out of passenger vehicles. Landfills are the third-largest emitters of methane, with food waste alone representing 8 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions. Determining food outlets for misshapen food products  would significantly reduce the tossing of inferior produce products that head to landfills. And, simply not buying more than is needed would curb the environmental effects of food waste. 

We also have unrealistic expectations about food in general. Increased portion sizes in schools, restaurants, and home often leads to overpurchasing. When restaurants overbuy, the food often spoils and has to be tossed out. The same is true in the home. Americans don’t think twice about pitching a rusty looking head of lettuce.

In a wealthy country like America, more than 54 million people are food insecure, 18 million of which are children according to data collected by Feeding America. This segment of our population lacks access to quality and affordable nutritious food.  In a country that is wasting 30 to 40 percent of the food supply each year, the fact that America is hungry is unconscionable. 

So how do we curtail food waste?  Ryan Cooper, Director of Circular Economy Solutions at Rubicon, suggests several  practices.  These include:

1. Putting together a detailed shopping list, and planning your meals in advance. 

2. Take your own leftover containers to restaurants keeping them up front in your refrigerator so you will use them and not forget about them.

3. Use smaller plates to help reduce unnecessary portions that could be tossed out.

4. Keep track of the food you are throwing away. Mentally attach a dollar sign to the food you are throwing away. 

5. Don’t rely on expiration dates.  These dates are not standardized and are misleading. Trust your gut and sense of smell before throwing food items away.

Global preferences for a Western diet consisting of high intake of carbohydrates, sugar and sodium are major contributors to environmental burdens of greenhouse gas emissions and land use. As the planet is getting hotter, and climate change is becoming a more understood concept, analyzing all wasteful practices is mandatory. We produce more food products on farm land than the country, or the planet, can use in a “just in time” supply concept. Converting some of this land to energy producing initiatives may be part of the solution to our food waste problem. 

Deborah J. Comstock is editor and publisher of The Lenawee Voice.