BBC 6 Minute English - Food waste

Summary

In this episode of Six Minute English, Rob and Finn discuss the global issue of food waste, highlighting the staggering amount of food that goes uneaten, despite being perfectly edible. They explore factors contributing to waste, such as supermarket standards and misleading sell-by dates. The conversation includes real-life examples, like Tara Sherbrooke’s shopping habits and initiatives such as food banks and apps aiming to reduce waste. The episode concludes with alarming statistics, revealing that 33% of food is wasted globally, while offering potential solutions to combat the problem.

Takeaways

• 😀 Food waste is a significant global issue, with a large amount of edible food being discarded every year.
• 😀 Around 33% of food produced globally is wasted, according to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization.
• 😀 In Europe, 100 million tons of food are wasted annually, contributing to environmental problems such as greenhouse gas emissions.
• 😀 Supermarkets often discard perfectly edible food, such as onions, based on size or appearance standards.
• 😀 The sell-by and use-by dates on food packaging can be misleading, leading consumers to throw away food that is still good to eat.
• 😀 Marketing strategies, such as two-for-one offers, encourage consumers to buy more food than they need, leading to waste.
• 😀 Working moms, like Tara Sherbrooke, try to meal plan but often find it difficult to resist promotional deals, which contribute to food waste.
• 😀 In many parts of the world, food scarcity exists, despite the fact that enough food is produced to feed everyone.
• 😀 Apps, websites, and food banks are emerging as solutions to help redistribute excess food to those in need.
• 😀 In New York, a trial project has been implemented to stop restaurants from sending food waste to landfills by 2015, but food waste remains a global problem.

Q & A

What is the main topic discussed in the script?

The main topic discussed is food waste, its impact on the environment, and various causes of food being discarded, even though it's still good to eat.

What percentage of food is wasted globally, according to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization?

According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, 33% of food produced globally is wasted.

What is one significant environmental impact of food waste?

One significant environmental impact of food waste is that it contributes to the creation of greenhouse gases when food rots in landfill sites.

Why do supermarkets often waste food, according to the script?

Supermarkets waste food because of strict requirements about the size and shape of produce, such as onions, which may be thrown away even if they are perfectly edible. Additionally, the sell-by and use-by dates on food packaging often mislead consumers into discarding food that is still good.

What was the example given in the script to explain how food is discarded due to its size?

The example given was of onions, where those that do not meet the required size of 2 to 2.25 inches in diameter are discarded, even though they are still edible.

How do supermarkets' promotional offers contribute to food waste?

Supermarkets' promotional offers, such as 'buy one, get one free' (BOGOF), encourage consumers to purchase more than they need, which may lead to food going bad before it can be consumed.

What is a strategy that Tara Sherbrooke uses to reduce food waste?

Tara Sherbrooke tries to reduce food waste by meal planning for the week and being mindful of what to buy. However, she admits that she is tempted by promotional offers like 'buy one, get one free.'

How does food waste affect global hunger, according to the script?

The script explains that although there is enough food produced to feed everyone, food waste is a major issue, leading to inefficiencies in the global food system, which could otherwise be used to alleviate hunger.

What are some efforts being made to tackle food waste?

Efforts being made to tackle food waste include the creation of apps and websites that distribute excess food, as well as food banks that collect and donate food to those in need. Some cities, like New York, are also trying to stop restaurants from sending food waste to landfills.

What surprising fact did the script reveal about the land needed for food waste?

The script revealed that the amount of land required to grow all the food wasted each year is the size of Mexico.