Did you know roughly one-third of the food produced in the world is wasted? It is a whopping 1.3 billion tonnes of vegetables, fruits, seafood, meat, dairy, grains, and more that never makes it to our tables (1). About half of the fruits and vegetables produced are lost—accounting for the highest wastage rates for any food (2).
Wasted food has many repercussions for us, environmental and moral being the most obvious ones. Others may include economic damage, break down of the social fabric of society, lawlessness due to hunger, and the reckless use of scarce resources like water and land.
The moral aspect of wasting food is quite bothersome for a conscious mind. We live in a world where one out of nine people does not have sufficient food to eat. WHO estimates about 820 million people suffer from hunger, and the saddening part is the wasted food could feed these people five times over (3).
The ecological impact of food waste is beside the moral, economic, or social impact. When food goes to waste, it’s not just the rotting that causes trouble, but all the resources used to produce that food as well. Rotting food releases greenhouse gases, raising the global temperature and causing all sorts of problems for the planet.
Only a four-degree rise in temperature can cost mother nature one-sixth of all species of plants and animals. But the good news is, if we stop wasting food, we could reduce 6 to 8 percent of all the yearly greenhouse emissions (4). A significant number when it comes to preventing the suffering of living organisms.
After looking at all these facts, we can say food waste is one of the pressing issues humans face today. Although much of the food is thrown away in the supply chain, we, the end consumers, are to blame for the most part.
Questions:
Q1: How much food is lost in the world?
- 10 percent B) 20 percent C) 33 percent D) 40 percent E) 50 percent
Q2: How many people suffer from hunger in the world?
- 250 million B) 480 million C) 610 million D) 820 million E) 1 billion
Answers:
Ans1: The answer is C. Estimates are 33 percent, or ⅓ of the food produced in the world, is never eaten.
Ans2: The answer is D. WHO estimates nearly 800 million people worldwide suffer from hunger.
What Is Sustainability, And Why It Is Important To Consume Food Mindfully?
Sustainability means meeting our needs without compromising the ability of others and our future generations to meet theirs. But we should not be selfish here but also think of those living creatures who can’t speak for themselves. Perhaps sustainability should mean that humans have a lifestyle that does not cost this planet and its inhabitants their future.
For thousands of years, we have destroyed the natural habitat of millions of species for more agricultural land. Since the dawn of agriculture about 10,000 years ago, the world has lost one-third of its forests–half of which occurred in the last century (5). Currently, deforestation is the second leading cause of greenhouse emissions after oil and gas (6). And agriculture accounts for 85 percent of deforestation worldwide (7). About 17 percent of the Amazon forest—considered lungs of the earth—has been lost thanks to our need for cattle ranching (8)(9).
Let’s understand what that means at the consumer level. When you throw away 1 kilogram of beef (about 2 pounds), know that 370 square meters (4000 square feet) of land; and 17,000 liters of water were used to produce it (10) (11). The energy used to ship and store that food: and its impact on climate is besides this. For instance, transferring food from farms to homes accounts for 10 percent of all the energy consumed in the US (12). And yet, consumers alone waste as much food in the developed world as the whole continent of Africa produces in a year!
These are some eye-opening facts. We live in a world with finite resources but with infinite needs. Estimates are if every person in the world had the same living standard as an average US citizen, we would need four worlds to sustain them (13). And it is more alarming as the rest of the countries like China and India are quickly catching up to this standard.
That is why mindfulness is crucial. Even accounting for all the problems, all hope is not lost! We need to get more conscious! We can reduce our food footprint with little effort and become responsible citizens. And adopt sustainable food habits that are not only good for us but the rest of the planet as well!
Questions:
Q1: When did humans develop agriculture?
- 10,000 years ago B) 5,000 years ago C) 15,000 years ago D) 100,000 years ago E) 200,000 years ago
Q2: How many worlds would we need if every world citizen consumed as much as an average US citizen?
- 2 B) 3 C) 4 D) 5 E) 6
Answers:
Ans1: The answer is A. Humans began harvesting crops about 10,000 years ago.
Ans2: The answer is C. If every world citizen consumed the same as an average US citizen, we would need four worlds.
Preventing Food Waste At Home And The Positive Impact Of Sustainability
Preventing food waste is not as difficult as getting into the mindset of doing so! Once you adopt a few habits, they become a part of your personality after some time! Then you don’t have to make a conscious effort to save food; you do so casually.
You may think corporations are to blame for the loss of food. Or that the food waste occurs during the processing, storing, or shipping of food! It is true, but the end consumer can not be exempt from the blame here. The overproduction of food, the shipping and storage of food, and the subsequent wastage are closely linked to consumer behaviour.
For example, plenty of food waste occurs because it does not meet our beauty standards. Farmers and grocers are told to meet the strict aesthetics of consumers and throw away the ugly fruits. So there is no surprise when such wasted food accounts for 40 percent of all the wasted food in the world (14). Now think of all the other unnecessary standards and behaviours we have adopted for the food we eat. Thus consumers also bear the responsibility!
But how can you prevent food waste! Well, when there is a will, there is a way! You can save food in many ways, such as:
- Do not discriminate against foods based on their looks. Not only can you prevent food waste but also save money. Many companies now offer misfit foods at prices cheaper than aesthetically acceptable foods.
- Avoid over-buying. Buying in bulk is convenient, but research suggests households discard about 15 percent of their food due to this reason (15). Keep track of what is already in your fridge with a photo or a list. Make more trips to the store to avoid stuffing and the subsequent wastage. Know the expiry dates before buying to prevent unexpected food waste.
- Learn to store food correctly. A lot of the food gets spoiled due to improper storage. We tend to stuff anything remotely edible in our refrigerators. It is a bad idea as one food impacts the other and spoils it. Also, keep your food well organized so that you can see them and have a better idea of the foods available in your house.
- Plan ahead of buying new food and make a menu of how you will eat the food you buy. Reduce your food waste by cooking the amount you need.
- Save leftovers and make sure to eat them. Plus, learn to preserve food and the new recipes for leftover food.
Questions:
Q1: How much unattractive food waste accounts for the total food waste?
- 10 percent B) 20 percent C) 30 percent D) 40 percent E) 50 percent
Q2: How much of the total household food is wasted due to bulk buying?
- 10 percent B) 15 percent C) 20 percent D) 25 percent E) 30 percent
Answers:
Ans1: The answer is D. Almost 40 percent of the food produced in a farm never leaves it or is rejected by the grocers for being ugli.
Ans2: The answer is B. Nearly 15 percent of the average household food bought in bulk is discarded.
Ways To Use Leftover Foods
The leftovers are very likely to end up in trash bins—something we all can identify with (16). But it does not have to be this way. You can use your leftover foods in many ways, for example:
- Spare a night or a day to eat leftovers without preparing a new meal or make eating leftovers a hobby when watching a family movie or a TV show.
- Consider leftovers as ingredients and get creative to make something new. For example, you can make smoothies, soups, omelets, rum balls, and many more depending upon the leftover.
- Swap leftovers with your neighbors or group food swaps. If nobody you know does this, then you can be the first to start the trend.
- Store leftovers smartly, i.e., in a glass container, so that you can always see them and maybe eat them at lunch or dinner.
- Store leftovers properly so that they last longer, and you can eat them when you don’t have time to make a new meal.
- Feed hungry people or donate your leftover to the food bank or shelters if possible.
Environmental Ways To Recycle Food
Food waste is a prime concern for climate change. If food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases after China and the US (2). So it is crucial to dispose of food in an eco-friendly way. Here are a few ways you can take to be responsible:
- Composting your food waste is the most efficient way. It is a natural process of recycling organic matter like vegetables into fertilizers for the soil. If you don’t have time to compost yourself, pack up your food waste and have pick-up vehicles carry it to the composting centers.
- You can look for neighbors, farmers, restaurants, or even schools with organic waste recycling plants and ask them if you can add to their composting units.
- Feeding your wasted food to animals is another effective way to recycle food. Look for farmers or livestock owners in the local market and see if your food waste can be used as animal feed.
- Reuse food containers and other packaging material to prevent wastage. Such waste is also a substantial contributor to greenhouse emissions.
- But if none of the above options are possible, at least follow the least preferred way of disposing of food such as landfill and incineration.
Some Leftover Recipes
Leftovers are boring, and nobody wants to eat them. But you can make the most of what’s in your fridge with leftover recipes. When it comes to making a new dish, the sky is the limit as human imagination has no boundaries. These recipes depend upon the food and other ingredients you have at your hand.
For example, you can freeze leftover vegetables, like broccoli and squash; and later make pureed soup. You can use leftover poultry carcasses to make soup or curry. In case it is cooked, you can make sandwiches by adding other ingredients you enjoy. By being creative, you can pretty much use anything you have to prepare something new. However, if you want some ideas, check this out.
Questions:
Q1: What is the most eco-friendly way to dispose of food waste?
A) Composting B) Feeding animals C) Incineration D) Landfill E) Dumping away in the river or ocean
Answers:
Ans1: The answer is A. Composting is the best method as the energy of the food is utilized to make fertilizers that help the soil.
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