Americans waste up to 40 percent of the food they produce

Summary

In the U.S., up to 40% of food produced annually is wasted, resulting in a $218 billion economic loss. Households of four spend an average of $1,500 yearly on uneaten food. Food waste contributes to climate change, with associated greenhouse gases equivalent to 37 million cars. Consumers and businesses are responsible for over 80% of this waste, often due to cultural expectations of abundance and low food costs. Addressing food waste is crucial for combating climate change, with prevention ranking third on the list of impactful actions. Reforming date labels could help reduce waste by aligning with public health information and science.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The U.S. and China are the largest emitters of greenhouse gases, with food waste being a significant contributor if it were a country.
• 🍽️ Up to 40% of the food produced in the U.S. is wasted annually, leading to an economic loss of $218 billion per year.
• 🏡 A household of four in the U.S. spends an average of $1,500 or more per year on food that is not consumed.
• 🌿 The greenhouse gas emissions from food waste are equivalent to 37 million passenger vehicles on the road.
• 🔥 Methane emissions from rotting food in landfills contribute to the environmental impact, along with the resources used in food production.
• 🔑 Food waste prevention ranks third on the list of the top 100 impactful actions to address climate change, ahead of solar and wind power.
• 🍴 Consumers and consumer-facing businesses like restaurants and cafeterias are responsible for over 80% of food waste in the U.S.
• 🍽️ In restaurants, most food waste comes from leftovers on plates or post-consumer waste.
• 🗣️ Addressing customer behavior is key to tackling food waste in restaurants.
• 📊 Cultural expectations and the low cost of food in the U.S. contribute to the abundance mindset and waste.
• 📆 Date labels on food products often lead to confusion and waste; reforming these labels could help reduce food waste.

Q & A

What are the U.S. and China known for in terms of greenhouse gas emissions?

The U.S. and China are known as the largest emitters of greenhouse gases.

If food waste were a country, where would it rank in terms of greenhouse gas emissions?

If food waste were a country, it would rank as the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases.

What is the approximate percentage of food produced in the U.S. that goes to waste annually?

Up to 40% of the food produced in the U.S. every year goes wasted.

What is the economic loss associated with food waste in the United States?

The economic loss due to food waste in the U.S. is $218 billion per year.

How much does an average household of four spend on food that never gets eaten in the U.S.?

An average household of four spends $1,500 or more per year on food that never gets eaten.

How does food waste contribute to greenhouse gas emissions?

The greenhouse gases associated with food waste are equivalent to roughly 37 million passenger vehicles on the road, including methane from rotting food in landfills and emissions from production processes.

What is the ranking of food waste prevention among the top 100 impactful actions to address climate change?

Food waste prevention is ranked as the third most impactful action to address climate change.

Who are the biggest contributors to food waste in the United States?

Consumers and consumer-facing businesses such as restaurants and cafeterias are responsible for over 80% of the food waste in the U.S.

What is a significant cultural factor contributing to food waste in the U.S.?

In the U.S., there is an expectation of abundance and low food prices, which contributes to the amount of food waste.

What steps can individual consumers take to reduce food waste?

Individual consumers can be more aware of date labels and use their senses to determine food freshness, as many date labels are not related to food safety but rather peak freshness.

What is the role of date labels in contributing to food waste and how can they be improved?

Date labels often lead to confusion and waste as they suggest peak freshness rather than safety, and there is an opportunity to reform them to align with public health information and science.

Outlines

00:00

🌎 Impact of Food Waste in the United States

The U.S. is highlighted as one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, with food waste alone equating to the emissions of a country ranked third globally. Elizabeth Balkan, the Food Waste Director at the Natural Resources Defense Council, discusses the staggering statistics: up to 40% of the food produced annually in the U.S. is wasted, leading to an economic loss of $218 billion per year. Households of four spend an average of $1,500 or more per year on uneaten food. The environmental impact is profound, with food waste's greenhouse gas emissions comparable to 37 million passenger vehicles. The conversation underscores the importance of food waste prevention as a key strategy in combating climate change, ranking it third among the most impactful actions, ahead of solar and wind power.

Keywords

💡Greenhouse gases

Greenhouse gases are gases in the Earth's atmosphere that trap heat, contributing to the greenhouse effect and global warming. In the context of the video, the U.S. and China are mentioned as the largest emitters, highlighting the significant environmental impact of food waste, which, if it were a country, would rank third in emissions.

💡Food waste

Food waste refers to the discarding or loss of food, which is a significant environmental and economic issue. The video emphasizes that up to 40% of food produced in the U.S. is wasted, leading to both economic loss and environmental impacts, such as increased greenhouse gas emissions.

💡Economic loss

Economic loss in this context refers to the financial cost associated with food waste. The video states that food waste results in an annual economic loss of $218 billion in the U.S., indicating the scale of the financial implications of not utilizing food resources efficiently.

💡Household food waste

Household food waste is the portion of food that is not consumed and is discarded by families. The video mentions that a household of four spends an average of $1,500 or more per year on food that never gets eaten, illustrating the personal financial impact of food waste.

💡Environmental impacts

Environmental impacts refer to the effects of human activities on the environment. The video connects food waste to climate change, noting that the greenhouse gases from food waste are equivalent to emissions from 37 million passenger vehicles, emphasizing the significant ecological consequences.

💡Methane

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas produced when organic matter, such as food waste, decomposes in landfills. The video mentions methane as a contributor to the environmental impact of food waste, highlighting the need for better waste management practices.

💡Resource consumption

Resource consumption encompasses the use of materials and energy in the production, manufacturing, transportation, storage, and distribution of goods. The video points out that all these resources are wasted when food is not consumed, emphasizing the broader environmental costs of food waste.

💡Climate change

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns, primarily caused by human activities. The video positions food waste prevention as one of the top 100 impactful actions to address climate change, underscoring its importance in environmental policy and individual behavior.

💡Consumer behavior

Consumer behavior refers to the actions of individuals when purchasing, using, and disposing of products and services. The video identifies consumer behavior as a key factor in food waste, especially in restaurants, where leftover food contributes significantly to the problem.

💡Date labels

Date labels are indications of freshness or quality on food packaging. The video discusses how date labels can mislead consumers into discarding food prematurely, leading to unnecessary waste. It suggests reforming date labels to align with public health information and science to reduce food waste.

💡Cultural expectations

Cultural expectations refer to the norms and values that influence behavior within a society. The video points out that in the U.S., there is an expectation of abundance and low food prices, which can contribute to wasteful practices. It suggests that changing cultural attitudes towards food can help reduce waste.

Highlights

The U.S. and China are the largest emitters of greenhouse gases, with food waste being the third largest if it were a country.

In the U.S., up to 40% of the food produced annually goes to waste.

Food waste results in an economic loss of $218 billion per year.

An average household of four spends over $1,500 per year on uneaten food.

Greenhouse gases from food waste are equivalent to emissions from 37 million passenger vehicles.

Food waste contributes to methane emissions when it rots in landfills.

Resources used in food production, manufacturing, transportation, storage, and distribution are wasted when food is not consumed.

Preventing food waste is ranked as the third most impactful action to address climate change.

Consumers and consumer-facing businesses, such as restaurants and cafeterias, are responsible for over 80% of food waste in the U.S.

The majority of food waste in restaurants comes from leftovers on plates or post-consumer waste.

Addressing customer behavior is key to tackling food waste in restaurants.

U.S. culture plays a significant role in food waste due to expectations of abundance and low food costs.

Date labels contribute to food waste, as they often do not indicate food safety but rather peak freshness.

Date labels are not regulated, except for baby formula, leading to confusion and unnecessary food waste.

Reforming date labels to align with public health information and science could prevent significant food waste.

Individual consumers can reduce food waste by understanding the difference between date labels and food safety.

Transcripts

>> Sreenivasan: THE U.S. AND

CHINA ARE THE LARGEST EMITTERS

OF GREENHOUSE GASES.

IF FOOD WASTE WERE A COUNTRY, IT

WOULD BE THE THIRD LARGEST.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE IMPACT

OF FOOD WASTE ON THE ENVIRONMENT

AND HOW BIG THE PROBLEM IS HERE

IN THE UNITED STATES, NEWSHOUR

WEEKEND'S MEGAN THOMPSON

RECENTLY SAT DOWN WITH ELIZABETH

BALKAN, THE FOOD WASTE DIRECTOR

AT THE NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE

COUNCIL.

>> Reporter: PAINT THE PICTURE

FOR ME.

HOW MUCH FOOD DO WE WASTE HERE

IN THE UNITED STATES?

>> IN THE U.S., UP TO 40% OF THE

FOOD THAT IS PRODUCED EVERY YEAR

GOES WASTED.

THAT TRANSLATES INTO AN ECONOMIC

LOSS OF $218 BILLION PER YEAR.

AND AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, A

HOUSEHOLD OF FOUR SPENDS ON

AVERAGE $1,500 OR MORE PER YEAR

ON FOOD THAT NEVER GETS EATEN.

>> Reporter: WHAT ARE THE

CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE AMOUNT

OF FOOD THAT WE WASTE AND

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, CLIMATE

CHANGE?

>> THE GREENHOUSE GASSES

ASSOCIATED WITH FOOD WASTE

AMOUNT TO ROUGHLY 37 MILLION

PASSENGER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD.

NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE THE

CONTRIBUTIONS FROM METHANE WHEN

FOOD WASTE ROTS IN A LANDFILL,

BUT YOU HAVE ALL THESE OTHER

RESOURCES THAT GO INTO THE

PRODUCTION, THE MANUFACTURING,

THE TRANSPORTATION, THE STORAGE,

THE DISTRIBUTION.

ALL OF THOSE RESOURCES ARE

SWALLOWED UP WHEN WE WASTE FOOD

RATHER THAN EAT IT.

OF THE TOP 100 MOST IMPACTFUL

THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO ADDRESS

CLIMATE CHANGE, FOOD WASTE

PREVENTION IS NUMBER THREE.

IT'S NOT SOLAR POWER, IT'S NOT

WIND POWER, IT'S FOOD WASTE

PREVENTION.

>> Reporter: WHAT ARE THE

BIGGEST CONTRIBUTORS TO FOOD

WASTE HERE?

>> OVERALL, CONSUMERS AND

CONSUMER-FACING BUSINESSES--

RESTAURANTS, CAFETERIAS-- ARE

RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER 80% OF THE

FOOD WASTE IN THIS COUNTRY.

FOR EXAMPLE, IN RESTAURANTS, THE

VAST MAJORITY OF FOOD WASTE

COMES FROM WHAT IS LEFTOVER ON

PEOPLE'S PLATES, OR

POST-CONSUMER WASTE.

SO, IF WE WANT TO REALLY TACKLE

THE FOOD WASTE THAT'S HAPPENING

IN RESTAURANTS, FOR EXAMPLE, WE

NEED TO START ADDRESSING THE

HARDER PART OF THE PUZZLE, WHICH

IS CUSTOMER BEHAVIOR.

>> Reporter: SO, IT SOUNDS LIKE

CULTURE PLAYS A ROLE IN SOME OF

THIS.

>> CULTURE PLAYS A HUGE ROLE IN

IT AND IS REALLY PART OF THE

EQUATION IN THE U.S. IN... IN A

FUNDAMENTAL WAY.

IN THIS COUNTRY, I THINK WE HAVE

CERTAIN EXPECTATIONS ABOUT THE

WAY THAT FOOD IS PRESENTED.

WE LIKE ABUNDANCE, AND FOOD IS

VERY CHEAP IN THIS COUNTRY.

SO, THE COST TO BUSINESSES OF

WASTING FOOD IS NOT SO OUTSIZED

WHEN COMPARED TO EITHER THE

CONSUMER EXPECTATION OR THE

BUSINESS' EXPECTATION OF WHAT

THE CONSUMER EXPECTS TO SEE WHEN

THEY WALK INTO A HOTEL BUFFET,

OR THEY WALK INTO A SUPERMARKET

AISLE.

>> Reporter: WHAT ARE STEPS THAT

INDIVIDUAL CONSUMERS CAN TAKE?

>> WE DON'T WANT CONSUMERS TO

FEEL LIKE THEY'RE THE VILLAINS

HERE.

A LOT OF THE SOURCE REASON FOR

FOOD WASTE IS CONNECTED TO

THINGS LIKE DATE LABELS.

DATE LABELS DIDN'T REALLY EXIST

BEFORE THE 1970s, AND, BEFORE

THEN, PEOPLE WOULD USE THEIR

SENSES.

THEY WOULD USE THE SMELL TEST ON

MILK.

THEY MIGHT TRY A LITTLE BIT OF

YOGURT.

AND IF SOMETHING TASTED FINE OR

SMELLED OKAY, IT DIDN'T SMELL

LIKE IT HAD GONE OFF, THEY WOULD

EAT IT.

WHAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOK AT A

DATE LABEL THAT SAYS "BEST IF

USED BY" HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH

FOOD SAFETY, BUT IT'S A

MANUFACTURER SUGGESTION ABOUT

WHEN THIS FOOD ITEM IS AT ITS

PEAK FRESHNESS, WHICH IS

INHERENTLY A SUBJECTIVE THING.

IN FACT, BESIDES BABY FORMULA,

THERE IS REALLY NO REGULATION

AROUND DATE LABELS.

SO, THERE'S ENORMOUS OPPORTUNITY

TO REFORM DATE LABELS TO BE

CONSISTENT WITH PUBLIC HEALTH

INFORMATION AND SCIENCE, AND, IN

DOING SO, PREVENT A TON OF FOOD

FROM GOING TO WASTE.

>> Reporter: ELIZABETH BALKAN,

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.