Enviro-mental

Does throwing out food negatively impact the environment?

Awareness Raising

One report on overconsumption, food waste and the environment comes from the United Kingdom and is posted on meatprocess.com. It details the 2008 part of a lecture series given by “industry veteran and farmer” Lord Christopher Haskins.

In simple terms, Haskins says we waste too much energy and food, and that we eat too much. He seems to be one of the first to link the seemingly distinct issues of climate change and food supply, saying that if we rescued wasted food we could solve the “Malthusian problem” of population growth outstripping food production capabilities.

How much Food is Wasted?

• Haskins’ guess is that about 50% of food goes to waste.
• According to the article, in the UK about 30% of food bought in shops is wasted in homes.
• A February 9th Toronto Star article cites U.S. research that 14% of food is wasted.
  

Haskins apparently blames wastage in stores on overstocking and either on customers that are too picky about buying perfect-looking produce, or stores think that they will be and don’t put the bruised stuff out. And what about “two for one” deals?

I thought the era of “Supersize Me” foods was over.

The Bottom Line

Not only are we growing, transporting, and processing food using huge energy inputs, a large percentage of that food is going to waste.