A lot of the world’s biggest issues overlap each other including, food waste, climate change, and starvation. Starvation has always been an issue even though we have enough food to feed everyone, it’s just that a lot of it goes to waste and people have trouble getting it/donating it. Food waste is an extremely saddening issue that I wanted to bring up on this environmental blog because according to The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, “if food waste were a country it would be the third largest greenhouse gas emitting country in the world”1. This is a huge issue with many factors that stem from systemic issues in the world to cultural factors encouraging greater food obtainment. I use obtainment here because it’s more of an issue that people are procuring more food than they can consumer; thus, food is being wasted. Although this is a worldwide issue, I’m going to be focusing specifically on the United States to show some of the underlying issues and reasons behind one of the largest food wasting countries in the world.
In the United States alone, around 40% of the food we produce isn’t eaten, this comes out to around 365 million pounds of food being wasted per day2. At the same time, about 1 in 8 Americans don’t have enough food.2 So it’s not like we aren’t producing enough food, we just aren’t getting it to the people who need it most. This could be because it’s inaccessible to those people from lack of grocery stores or healthy options, or it could be from overproduction of food, or difficulty to donate food. I used to volunteer for the Salvation Army in my town, making food and providing to those in need. They took a lot of donations, but one thing I can speak to having worked with them and other food banks is if the food is left over from an event, they can’t take it. This used to frustrate me so much because after events like National Honors Society induction my school had platters of perfectly good leftover hoagies, pretzels, fruit, and vegetables, but they ended up having to throw it out because the food banks in the area wouldn’t take it. I’m sure this is from a protection standpoint of if we had poisoned the food or something or from a sanitary standpoint, but it hurt to watch perfectly good food go to waste which both left people hungry in our town and polluted the earth.
For those who are fortunate enough to have access to food and money to buy it, they tend to over purchase or forget about the food they already bought. Consumers waste the most food as compared to businesses or companies and this is tied to trends such as the growing refrigerators and dinner plates. As refrigerators get bigger, people buy more food. As dinner plates get bigger, people waste more food from their meals. The refrigerator trend has shown a 15% increase in size of fridges since the 70s and dinner plates have increased in size by 36% since 1960. UC Santa Barbara has observed this trend and how it correlates to the amount of food wasted by people, so they’ve started to control the size of food related items. For them, it was the tray. Having a tray gave people more space to gather more food for themselves that they might not eat. The University got rid of trays from their dining halls, having only plates of food with only one serving on each plate. Students are free to get as many plates and servings as they want, but each plate will only have one serving as they are pre-plated. Since removing trays in the 2009-2010 school year, “UCSB has seen a 54% reduction in food post consumer waste and a 37% average savings of total waste overall”3. This demonstrates that there are subliminal effects that people see more space for food, think they need more food, and end up wasting it either because they don’t eat it during a meal or they find it in the back of their refrigerator at some point.
This blog might seem like it’s straying from our environmental theme, but I urge you to remember how our actions impact the environment, this one in particular. Therefore, we must sometimes focus not only on the impacts these issues have or the negative side of things, but how to get at the root of the problem and find solutions. Sure, I could have talked about greenhouse gases and everything bad about that, but I’d rather get at solutions for things that are hurting the earth than always dwell on the negatives.
- http://www.fao.org/3/a-bb144e.pdf
- https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/climate-lab
- http://www.sustainability.ucsb.edu/food-actions/
While it is important to focus the environmental issues on a global level, I think it’s equally as important that we talk specifically about the US in some of the posts. It’s informative and good to know about what’s going on in other countries and what other countries are changing to lessen their environmental impact, but we can’t control what goes on around the world. What we can control, however, is our own impact in our country, which is why I think it’s so good that this post targets the United States.
I like this post a lot because it IS different from the general climate change post, but it’s still a contributor. I love how many statistics you had in here… it really gave me a good perspective about how poorly we abuse our access to food. I want to talk about something you said in particular: our increase in refrigerator size. In my family, we have two houses, and in each house, two fridges. Yes, we are a family of five (and yes, we are Italian), bur there’s no reason we need that much space for food. My mom always says, “It’s for when we throw parties and need the extra space”, yet those fridges always have SOMETHING in them, and if not, they’re still always plugged in.
Not only do these enormous contraptions contribute to food waste, but they’re also costing us unnecessary money, and making us larger. People tend to think more about problems if they see it affecting THEM, so isn’t this one the shines all red signs? We’re basically paying to gain weight and keep food cold that we’ll be throwing away a week later.
Change is hard for anybody, especially when we like the way things are, but there is something we can do to reduce our food waste: replace our refrigerators for smaller ones. This can bring about multiple benefits. The average US household uses 13% of their energy on appliances, and a smaller fridge can bring that number way down. The average household also throws out 14-25% of their food, something else a smaller fridge can bring down. In Europe, smaller appliances are as common as big one are in the US. They shop for enough food for 1-2 days, and in that waste less, pay less, and eat fresher, better foods.
No, this is does not solve all problems considering food waste, but it is a start. And being something that can have more than one positive effect, it’s a start that could lead to big change.
https://www.motherearthnews.com/green-homes/rethinking-refrigeration-the-benefits-of-a-smaller-fridge-zbcz1711
https://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-refrigerators-20150502-story.html
I definitely agree about the importance of this post being US focused, as many western countries like the US and the UK could be doing much better in terms of sustainability. I am also surprised that people do not see wasting food as losing money, since people are about money so much. But, at the end of the day, people are going to be wasteful and unless we change that habit here in the US dire consequences will follow.
I think your comment on having multiple fridges is sadly very relatable. My family also has two fridges, and actually an extra freezer. Granted the freezer and extra fridge are mostly used for my dad’s brewing hobby; however, having this extra space allows my family to have extra food than we need. It’s something that bothers my mom and I a lot as we both care much more about the quality of food than quantity and are willing to go to the grocery store more frequently and keep less food int he house. Ideally, when I get my own place I want to have one of those cute little colored fridges that you see in all of the aesthetically pleasing apartments. I think having one of these will help me control how much food I have in my place and encourage me to 1. have a good relationship to food because the pretty color of the fridge makes me happy and 2. to keep more colorful foods int he fridge to complement the color. This way I’d be filling it with more fruits and vegetables than other products. I think big fridge culture is something our society needs to get away from. It’ll help so much with the planet, our diets, electricity use, and so much more.
It is so disheartening to know that there are people who starve to death while others let food go to waste. As you mentioned, there are a lot of ways in which we can reduce our food waste, including using smaller plates, no trays, and downsizing fridges. These are all small things we can implement that could potentially make a huge difference. There is also a large problem with the effectiveness of of organizations that aim to reduce world hunger. It seems as if these organizations could do much more to use left over food or give it away.
I think there is also a large misconception about what food waste is. Not only is this food that gets old and thrown away, but it is also foods that do not meet standards of attractiveness. If produce is oddly shaped, discolored, or not seemingly perfect- it is often thrown away by the grocery store selling it (https://foodwastefeast.com/why-we-waste-ugly-food-expiration-dates-and-more). Another major form of food waste is animal products, however most people do not recognize this. For one pound of beef, a shocking 12 pounds of grain and 2,500 gallons of water is used (http://www.earthsave.org/environment.htm). A large majority of the grains we grow goes directly to feeding the animals that end up being meat. This means that the grains that could have been fed to the hungry instead go to livestock to produce meat for individuals that can afford it. If we stop breeding animals for an indirect energy source, we would have enough grains to feed the entire world population. I think this along with the points you mentioned need to be more considered in affluent countries to minimize food waste and end world hunger.
I think it’s so important that you brought up the misconceptions about food waste. You’re right: food that doesn’t look “right” is automatically considered subpar. Nobody wants to sell a product that doesn’t look perfect due to doubts of customers buying it for the same reason they won’t sell. Ironically, it’s usually the products that ARE a little bit different that are more natural grown and fresh.
Had you not brought it up in your comment, I would have never realized that food was wasted because it was ugly 🙁 It’s really a shame that food is wasted for this reason; so long as the produce is the same substance as the “pretty” alternative, I feel they should both be sold. Even if this food was sold for a lesser price (if grocery stores are worried about selling them), it would be so much better than simply wasting all of the food. Somehow, there needs to be a change in the expectations of American consumers in such a way that they become hyper sensitive to food waste. Perhaps charging people monthly for how much food they waste would be an interesting start.
As you stated at the beginning of your post, many of the world’s issues overlap. This is evidently clear when looking at the UN Sustainability Development Goals that I have been shown countless times and EcoReps and in one of our own RCL classes (1). The best way we can help our planet is to use these different goals together. For example, if we were to conquer Gender Equality and other similar problems than it would be easier to come together as equal and educated people to solve some of the other goals such as poverty, hunger and climate change. This is why I believe the major polarization in our government, and even globally, is a major danger to working on these sustainable goals. If our society does not start on a basis of respect of one another, regardless of political belief, religious background, gender, sexuality and race, then we will not be able to completely come together to battle environmental or humanities issues that exist in most nations globally.
In response to the majority of your post, I find it horrifying how much food some people waste. When I was eating in the buffet in Redifer just the other day, I was waiting to compost the stem from my grapes when I saw some student pour two full plates’ full of food straight into the bin. I had to cover my mouth to not be audibly horrified. Like many other environmental issues on campus, most people do not realize the impacts of their actions. This is why the university should not allow Styrofoam to be an option for to go, this is why the university should remove trays as the university in your post found to be successful. Companies and universities need to start taking more responsibility for their environmental actions, because consumers are unlikely to realize what they are doing is awful and even if they do convenience for many people wins.
(1) https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/
When I went home for winter break I noticed that I had started taking the compost bins at our school for granted. We tend to buy things we think we are going to eat but don’t end up eating and waste food. The biggest things are deli meat (we don’t make sandwiches as much as we think we are going to), and vegetables like baby carrots and spinach. wasting meat is definitely bad for the environment, wasting vegetables is not as bad but without a compost bin it is still going in a landfill.
Hi Becky!
I think this topic is a perfect example for advocating for the environment! We can reap so many additional benefits if we start becoming mindful of our food consumption and especially of our food waste. I know since coming to Penn State, I have noticed myself becoming a larger offender when it comes to wasting food. I think this is partly due to my schedule, workload, and commitments I have each day. Take the Redifer buffet, for example. For many students, there are only two options; go into the buffet and eat until you are full, or stuff a to-go box and eat the food at a different time. Personally, due to my busy schedule, grabbing a to-go (Green2Go of course) is so much more convenient because I can take the food with me to my next commitment whether it is class, a study session, or a club meeting. If I don’t finish the food contained within the to-go container, it is unfortunately rare that I will come back to it later; it usually goes into my fridge until I empty it into the compost container in back in Redifer.
I think the a great way to get individuals to waste less is to continue giving them more facts and pieces of information about the good they are doing when not wasting food. This can be global statistics such as how much food is wasted in America, and how Penn State can reduce that amount, or more personal statistics such as how much money they would save in food if they did not waste any. For example, I looked up some general statistics for food waste, and I discovered that food waste in American results in over 218 billion dollars in wasted food each year. Seeing the financial data behind these actions resonates with me, and since then I attempt to get less on my plate and finish all of my food each time. Unfortunately, it doesn’t directly help the individuals who need food, but it is a great start in reducing useless waste at Penn State.
https://www.waste360.com/food-waste/analyzing-food-waste-city-level
I was required to hold a conversation earlier today about climate change and ethics. Within the conversation we talked about things each participant noticed in their daily lives that frustrates them. The number one answer was seeing food waste around campus and when they go out to dinner. It is such an upsetting sight when people throw out a full tray of food, especially when they are not composting it. Some of your well researched statistics are insane! 365 million pounds a day is inconceivable and disappointing.
What is the most upsetting is when I see people waste meat. For example, watching people take a steak from the carving station at the buffet and the taking one bite and throwing it out. So many aspects of this kills me to see. The fact that a cow was slaughtered just to be cooked and thrown out is disgusting. In addition the amount of water that was used top produce is immense and then to see it just thrown out and sent to fill out landfills is a sad sight.
I believe making people more aware of their food waste, as Penn State does in a few ways is a great attempt to reduce food waste. However, simply telling the students how much the university wastes each year is not enough.
I believe implementing tray-less dining halls, or at least trying tray-less dining in one buffet, could be really efficient. This idea eliminates student’s urge to take a large amount of food when first walking down the buffet line.1 If they want more once they finish the two plates they can carry, they can go back up. However, it prevents people from taking two plates full, two bowls, and a drink all at once. They are not going to eat that much anyway! This is already implemented in many schools already including quite a few big ten schools.2 This method could possibly drastically reduce our waste and I do not see any reason for why Penn State could not add this process or at least try a practice run.
https://www.refed.com/solutions/trayless-dining 1
http://graham.umich.edu/media/files/environ391-big10report.pdf 2
One other way to reduce food waste in the dining halls is to make all stations self-serving. One of the most common times I waste food in the dining hall is when someone else puts food on the plate for me, especially when they are serving meat and potatoes. They consistently put too much for me on the plate at a time. The thinking behind workers serving food in the dining hall is to ensure that people do not start out with more than a serving size, but this assumes that people will take more and waste more if they serve themselves, which has not been the case. The opposite seems to be true; signs in the Pollock dining commons at the beginning of the year underlined how much food waste was reduced when one station was switched to self-serve.
In addition, some people do not realize the environmental impact wasting food has even when the food is being composted. I sometimes find myself viewing composting as a safety cushion that makes it ok for me to waste more food. “It’s ok, it’s going to be repurposed anyway”. Other people I’ve talked to said they also feel less guilty wasting food when they compost the extras. Composting is better than throwing away, but it is still better to eliminate waste in the first place, especially when there are so many people going hungry that shouldn’t have to be.
I was somewhat surprised at how much food the United States wastes but given the huge consumer culture in the US it makes sense. It is unfortunate that we waste so much food while even a significant fraction of people in the US go hungry. The imbalance in access to food is worse when you look at the world as a whole. I am glad you focused on this topic, because it is a social issue as well as an environmental issue, so we should have more incentives to do something about it.
https://foodservices.psu.edu/food-waste-reduction
Emily, it is so true that many people consider composting as a less guilty way to waste food. While composting is certainly better for our planet, it is very much a waste of all of the things that it took to get the food to where it was eaten. Growing food, production, and transportation is all being thrown away- not just food! This is why I think it would be a great idea for Penn State to put more informative information up about composting, and advocate that it should be more for inedible parts of foods, such as rinds and cores.
When looking into food waste on college campuses, I came across a blog, on the HuffPost, with some very interesting facts and recommendations to all college kids to reduce their waste. They have various actions students can take. Some are minor changes in everyday life and some are much larger, in trying to implement change at their schools.
One of the recommendations that I also see as a problem is students buying food for their mini fridge. Most students do not go to the store often so they buy more food than they can eat. This food is left untouched for a week or two and then thrown away because it is no longer edible.
One of their more time consuming and action enforcing requests is for students to establish a food collection and food redistribution system at schools. Here at Penn State, we have the “Lions Pantry” to collect food that some people may never use and others may need.
Although food waste is a huge problem at Penn State, a lot of action has been implemented in attempts to reduce it. I believe the next steps would have to be change at a policy level. These changes could include: tray-less dining, as I explained in the last comment, establishing a student run composting facility, instead of sending our food waste away, we would be able to compost more, and finally, colleges can continue raising awareness as we do here. You can never share enough information about food waste!
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/food-waste-at-us-colleges-and-what-to-do-about-it_b_57bcbc22e4b007f1819a1070
https://www.rubiconglobal.com/blog-college-food-waste/