The Social & Environmental Effects of Food Waste

Today, about one third of all food produced in the world gets thrown away. Whether it be seafood, fruit, dairy, veggies, or grains, food waste has a much bigger impact on not only our economy, but our environment as well. When food waste decomposes, it produces methane, a greenhouse gas. Food waste in the US alone produces the same amount of methane as 36.2 million cars. Action needs to be taken to stop this and reduce the amount of waste we produce before it is too late. (“Fight Climate Change by Preventing Food Waste | Stories | WWF.” World Wildlife Fund, www.worldwildlife.org/stories/fight-climate-change-by-preventing-food-waste Accessed 27 Sept. 2022.)

How Food Waste Impacts Global Society

            Globally, 931 million tons of food waste was generated in 2019 and this number continues to rise alongside the number of people in poverty and struggling with food insecurity.2. As of this year, a heartbreaking 828 million people face hunger and food insecurity, 34 million alone in the US. COVID-19  played a big part in the recent growth of this number and  has affected every single person in the world. An estimated 161 million people have experienced food insecurity due to the pandemic, and although it is reaching its end people are still struggling to come back from it. (“Food Waste: The Impact on Society and Environment... and What You Can Do against It.” WSA, https://wsa-global.org/2021/09/29/international-day-awareness-food-loss-waste/.)

Wasting Food Means Wasting Energy

We spend a lot of money processing, shipping, and distributing food that goes unused or wasted. That money could be put towards something better like fighting  poverty. of food means more money is spent to grow and distribute even more food. As our world grows, we should be focusing not on growing more food, but on how to distribute that food to people who need it most

            Not only does food decomposition produce methane, but food growth, distribution, harvest and transportation use energy resulting in greenhouse gas emissions.When we waste food, the energy is wasted as well.

Reducing Greenhouse Gasses Through Composting

Besides saving energy, 8% of all greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced if we stopped wasting food. 17.3 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas is produced during the food production process, from creation of farmland to shipping.  (“Food Production Generates More than a Third of Manmade Greenhouse Gas Emissions” Alliance for Science, 15 Sept. 2021, allianceforscience.cornell.edu/blog/2021/09/food-production-generates-gas) In the US, 40% of food is wasted, which means that 6.920 billion tons of greenhouse gas comes from creating food people don't even eat, and the effects from this are detrimental.

Greenhouse gasses trap heat in the atmosphere that would otherwise be released. This trapped heat warms up the planet, which affects all aspects of life on earth. The ice caps have already begun melting due to the rise in heat, causing our oceans to rise as well. Ecosystems are disrupted and species are going extinct at an alarming rate. This is a big factor that could be helped by people simply making changes to their daily lives.

What We Can Do To Make An Impact At Home

            There are many things you can do at home to make a big impact. The first is to stop wasting food and only buy what you know you need. Planning grocery lists ahead of time is a good way to ensure that only the necessities are purchased. Eat leftovers instead of throwing them away, and use all the food you have before purchasing more. (“Fight Climate Change by Preventing Food Waste) If you do have unopened food, donating it to local food banks or community centers can help so many people. (“Food Waste: The Impact on Society and Environment…)

Some states do not pick up compost, but in states like California, our trash collectors empty the green bins, which means our food scraps can be composted instead of put in the landfill. This compost can be used to fertilize farmland to grow more food. Investing in even a small compost bin can make a big difference.

 One of the best things we can do is educate others about composting. The more that people know the issues that result from food being wasted, the more we can inspire them to make a change.

Mila Harding, Freshman, Terra Linda High School, San Rafael, CA

See what small steps you can take to make an impact on your community. Click here.