Wasting food wastes everything – water, labor, fuel, money, love. That’s the message at SaveTheFood.com. The website states 40% of food in America is wasted.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses the word “staggering” to describe how much food Americans throw away. In fact, more food is thrown away in the United States than any other single material in our everyday trash, constituting about 20% of what goes into our landfills.
Americans throw away millions of tons of food every year – more than any other nation on earth. On a household level, that’s throwing away dollars that could be spent on other needs. Want to save dollars? Read on…
The average American family of four wastes an estimated $1,600 in produce every year; those are dollars spent on food that isn’t eaten. Generally it’s just thrown away. That’s produce only. Throw away proteins like meat, and the cost is much higher. (Globally, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that one-third of all grown food is lost or wasted, an amount valued at nearly $3 trillion.)
Saving $1,600 a year is like getting a raise. If you want to stop wasting food and dollars, recognizing the causes of the food waste in your home is a first step. Are you making too much food at each meal? Does your family refuse to eat leftovers? Is produce “lost” in your refrigerator until it’s gone bad and is thrown out? Are you buying too many perishables at one time?
Food waste is such a big topic that bloggers have gotten into the act, offering tips and suggestions to reduce your food waste. SaveTheFood.com shows worth-watching videos such as “The extraordinary life and times of Strawberry.” Squawkfox.com (type in “food waste”) offers a simple free downloadable food waste diary, and suggests you track your foodwaste to understand what foods are being thrown away.
Food waste leaches dollars out of your budget and fills up landfills unnecessarily. It’s something you can control. Think about it.
Green Connections is submitted by the South Central Solid Waste Authority (SCSWA), managing solid waste, recyclables, and fighting illegal dumping for residents and businesses in the City of Las Cruces and Doña Ana County. You can reach the SCSWA at (575) 528-3800 or visit www.scswa.com