Roughly one-third of food produced is wasted, both globally and in the United States, contributing to the growing crisis of climate change, environmental degradation, and loss of biological diversity while the number of people facing food insecurity rises. Reducing food waste is a key step individuals can take to not only save money but also shrink their environmental footprint.
EcoAction Arlington’s Food Waste Reduction Campaign offers tips and inspirations to make progress within our community.
According to EPA (and many other sources), approximately one-third of food produced in the United States is not eaten. Americans on average waste about 1 pound of food daily. Food loss and waste happens throughout the production, distribution and consumption food chain, but about 50 percent occurs during the consumption stage, particularly in our own homes. Fruits and vegetables account for 30 to 40 percent of wasted food, followed by dairy and eggs. Reasons for food waste are numerous but perceptions that food is past its prime based on poorly-understood use-by labels, uniformity standards that lead to tossing less than perfect produce, unplanned purchases, buying more than necessary, and poor storage practices are key contributors.
Food waste has staggering implications for climate and the environment. Food waste contributes about 6 percent of US greenhouse gas emissions or the equivalent of 36 million passenger vehicles and more than 1,000 pounds per person annually. Additional impacts of food waste on important resources include:
- About 2,000 kWh of energy per person and two percent of US energy consumption.
- About 19,000 gallons of water per person annually
- Wasted applications of fertilizers and pesticides that exacerbate water pollution caused by runoff from agriculture and contribute to harm to ecosystems and soil quality.
- Sixteen percent of total US agricultural land
Food waste has staggering implications for climate and the environment, contributing to about 6 percent of US greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and deforestation.
Moreover, available estimates of GHG emission exclude the emissions and other environmental impacts of disposal. Food waste is the single most common material landfilled and incinerated in the U.S., comprising 24 and 22 percent of landfilled and combusted municipal solid waste, respectively. Arlington residents with curbside collection are able to divert this waste to composting to recycle waste to improve soil health. However, the GHG emissions, environmental impact of wasted resources from this food are not mitigated. Composting is important for best managing inedible food parts (rinds, seeds, bones, and other parts not normally eaten although many can be used) and some inevitable food loss but is not a substitute for reducing food waste as much as possible.
Food waste has important economic and social costs as well. The estimated cost of food waste is $300 billion per year in the United States with much of the burden falling on consumers. A family of four spends $1,500 per year on food that ends up being wasted. At the same time, up to one in ten Americans are food insecure and globally 800 million persons face food insecurity. With rising prices and extreme weather events disrupting agricultural production the cost of food waste for American families will only increase.
Consequently, reducing food waste can address climate change, reduce pressure for deforestation, and improve soil and water quality while helping to feed growing populations across the world. Project Drawdown lists reducing food waste as a top solution to reducing global carbon emissions, keeping in mind that moving on solutions across the board is necessary to prevent catastrophic climate change. In the United States individuals can be the key driver in making progress.
We’re all guilty of wasting food. How do your habits stack up compared to the average American. Take the Food Waste Quiz.
Almost half of fruits and vegetables produced go to waste, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization
Key Sources
EPA, From Farm to Kitchen: The Environmental Impact of US Food Waste, November 2021
ReFED, What is Food Waste
Thirty percent of food produced in the US is not eaten – NRDC bread image
Reducing your food waste saves money – NRDC chicken == $$$ wasted
Wasted food = wasted water NRDC 1 egg = 55 gallons of water
Test your knowledge about the impact of food waste – take this WWF quiz
EcoAction Arlington’s Food Waste Reduction Campaign 2024 is curated by the Advocacy committee and the R4 Action Group.This content also appeared in EcoAction Arlington’s monthly newsletter and The EcoAdvocate newsletter produced by the EcoAction Arlington Advocacy Committee.
Restore NoVa Forests Initiative 