How We Throw 40% Food, While 40 Million Go Hungry
If food waste is a country, it would rank third behind America and China. In greenhouse emissions, . This is an alarming situation where awareness is paramount in how much food we waste. And how the lost nutrition could serve to over To whom food insecurity is a burning issue.
We Americans produced. Through different phases in the supply chain. From the fields to homes. Most of the is edible.
The 40% comprises of spoiled food. Equals to composed of food. This act of negligence also comes with a great price tag on the taxpayers. A staggering yearly. It is for a family of four.
The sum of money that you could save for 18 years and pay your kid’s first-year college tuition.
Wasting food has detrimental effects on the economic, social, and environmental factors. Some of us Americans enjoy our American Dream. When some Fathers struggle to feed hungry families.
Without bombarding you with numbers, let me enlighten you. On how we waste food at various phases, and how we should manage resources to reduce food insecurity in the USA.
The wastage starts from our farms
hinder rich yield to farmers. This influences the post-harvest stage. Falling below the profit margins for harvest.
This discourages farmers to devote the extra efforts to administer the stocks. Thus accumulating a fair share of the yield destined to be garbage. But this situation is unpredictable and not under our control.
The only way to curb this dispute is to revolutionize policies. That presents a fair price for production. Where farmers feel convinced with.
Next, is to enforce a Smart Farming Technology. To observe the atmosphere, soil condition, humidity, and plant health. To avert any at the earliest stage.
But the prime reason for the pre-market food loss is because many crops for reasons -
· Color disparities in vegetables & fruits.
· Issues with size and shape of produce.
The above problems develop because of the picky nature of the retail market. Who demand products according to unique qualities.
Producers are forced to please the optical quality value laid down by the vendors. As a result, the farm owners have to filter out the goods, which don’t match the specifications.
Hence, the massive heap of valuable food which don’t make it out from farms.
Millions of hungry Americans will accept food donations from farms. The government should support the farms — to contribute the remaining crops to Food Banks to aid food insecurity.
This is the first step to noble food distribution. To unlucky families who make up roughly
Grocery Stores & Retailers contribute to 10% of food waste in America
of edible food because they do not look as fresh as the rest. Retailers weigh in more on the display aspect of produce than the nutritional value of food — to which close to are deprived of.
Businesses should adopt a progressive stand. On, imperfect greens and fruits deemed as misfits by merchandisers. To perform a positive change toward reducing food wastage.
I would admire it, if our government encourages retailers — to contribute the leftover nourishment to Food Banks. In return for any credit or tax incentives.
This develops a culture where the leftover edibles could find its way to hungry lives. Worthy of survival as you and me. I am a firm believer that it’s our duty to help our poverty-driven minority overcome malnutrition. Despite being Black or White.
I’m sure that you have experienced a day or two where your tummy kept on rumbling while you could not provide for it.
I mean, if any Tom, Dick, and Harry can book a cab with a touch of a button, get your burgers delivered through an app. Then why can’t we make a way for hungry folks to get their bread and butter regardless of where they live.
Over 43% of food waste comes from our homes
This results from a lack of understanding of food science.
People stick to the Expiry dates or Best Before use dates. People should realize that expiry dates are mandatory for children’s food only, by law.
The date specified on packing only reveals the optimum shelf life. It is the manufacturer’s recommended time window where the food is at its peak freshness. Not the last day to eat before it becomes unsafe to consume.
So, if we understand this concept. We will be less likely to throw away the milk two days after its expiry period unless it tastes sour, though!
Refrain from impulse shopping unwanted products that we care the least to prepare. Hence the awful smell from your freezer after a few weeks.
You should likewise learn to prioritize what meals to eat the earliest and what food we can store longer. This prevents spoilage, and you save a lot of money too.
Let’s have a good awareness of what’s inside the fridge, to be mindful of food. Before it turns bad.
We should mitigate the . In households and institutions such as hospitals, schools, restaurants, and hotels. Promote the idea, to shop only what’s needed through shopping lists.
To avoid stockpiling beyond demand and need.
Some of you might be afraid to donate food. Though deemed safe, because of negative repercussions. For those of you, I must inform you that there — food to someone and not to bear any liability.
It’s called the “Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act of 1996.” This act protects you from getting into any conflict.
Hospitals, hotels, schools, restaurants, and places where large-scale food handling is in operation. Should join forces with volunteers. To distribute the still consumable meals to food collectors. This form of redistributing underutilized goods is called Dumpster Diversion.
It is a beacon of hope for families in need.
Balancing the scale of food waste against food security is easy with humanity.
Buy, not so display-worthy vegetables, and discolored fruits harmless to consume.
Unless you see them through a commercial lens. That brands, corporations have enforced in our minds. Evading our attention for health over, looks. When we are least vulnerable for humane judgment through unethical marketing practices.
We go through a time in America, where Which we should divert to fill the less fortunate before the food spoils. And provide cattle feed for our farms, or for compost.
Compost can make our infertile farmland fertile. This process reduces all greenhouse gases. Methane, Nitrogen, Chlorofluorocarbon, and Carbon dioxide. Let’s pass our next generation a world in which one can breathe without masks.
We are using for farming. in agriculture and
If this doesn’t convince you to preserve some food.
Next time you walk towards your bin, think for a second how starvation in your Family will look and feel. It would definitely motivate you to preserve food. Because then you can comprehend the agony of a fellow parent with food insecurity. A Parent who needs help when their children cry from starvation.
