What a disturbing irony! Good edible food thrown away while the world accelerates towards a food crisis of massive proportions.
India recently halted the export of non-basmati rice to ensure its poor can eat. Meanwhile, every month, residents in the city of Toronto, Canada, toss out 17.5 million kilograms of food. Images of green bins overflowing with food waste stand in stark contrast to media images of riots and food shortages around the world.
Food waste is pervasive in western society. A recent British study determined that about one-third of food purchased in the UK is thrown out every year. This equates to £10bn (about CDN$19.5 billion). A 1997 U.S. study found that 27 per cent of edible food is never eaten. In Toronto, the picture is not all that different: single-family households produce an average of 275 kilograms of food waste each year. Twenty-five per cent of this food goes inappropriately into the garbage (as opposed to the green bin) where city taxpayers pay nearly $10 million a year for its disposal. Most of it edible. Much of it still in its original packaging.
Food waste has serious implications for society. Consumers unnecessarily spend a lot of time and money on food they don't eat. Rotting food also pumps heaps of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Plus the costs for collecting, transporting and landfilling the excess food come from you, the taxpayers.
The good news is, some simple lifestyle adjustments offer huge payoffs for your family, community and the planet.
Think before you shop
A UK waste program reports that 61 per cent of all food waste could have been eaten if consumers better planned and stored their food purchases. Check the refrigerator before you shop. Freeze what you don’t plan to eat. And don’t just plan your shopping list, but assess your eating habits and plan when you’ll have time to prepare the food you’re buying.
Mmmm leftovers!
Much excess food becomes trash eventually. Once discarded, the valuable resources used to produce the food, including your time, are wasted. Leftovers can be as appealing as a freshly cooked, hot meal. To make leftover food delicious and useful:
- safely store food to keep it fresh and safe;
- prepare leftovers properly —a microwave is quick, but traditional heating can help maintain the taste;
- freeze leftovers for later use; and
- think outside the plate! Combine leftovers with other food items for a unique meal.
Don’t scrap your scraps!
If you have an excess of edible perishable food, look for organizations, like Second Harvest, that redistribute food to those in need, including hospices and school lunch programs. As well, livestock farmers and zoos use leftovers to feed the animals. Call your local zoo or farmer’s association to find out if this is an option in your area.
Start a compost pile
Not all towns and cities have organics collection programs. To keep food from rotting uselessly in a landfill, begin a compost pile in your backyard. Go online for tips on composting and with a little research and work, you’ll see that your pile will benefit the soil and make your garden more plentiful.
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