Photo Source: campuskitchens.org
A comprehensive new bill aimed at reducing food waste has just been passed in Italy. It is anticipated that the measures will reduce annual waste of five million tons by 20 percent. Measures include implementing a waste tax on businesses to incentivize donations, eliminating sanctions on donated food past the sell-by date, researching methods to prevent spoilage of foods in transit, and introduction of the practice of taking home restaurant leftovers, which up until now has been absent in Italian culture.
This bill could serve as a general model for change in the US, where the current estimate of waste is as high as 40 percent, a quantity worth $165 billion. Considering that U.S. agriculture consumes 50 percent of our land and 80 percent of our freshwater usage, this means that 20 percent and 32 percent, respectively, is used to produce food that feeds no one. Furthermore, 97% of our wasted food (35 million tons) rots in landfills, comprising the largest component of municipal solid waste and carrying a hefty price tag for disposal.
Aside from the issues of cost, use of resources, and environmental burden, the food waste dilemma overlaps with another critical topic: food insecurity. A mere 15 percent of our current wasted food would be enough food to feed 25 million food insecure Americans. An in-depth study conducted by the USDA using 2010 data calculated the caloric value of food losses to be 1,249 calories per person per day. Major contributors include “undesirable” produce shipped straight from the field to a landfill, food that reaches an arbitrary freshness date at the grocery store and is discarded, commercial foodservice, and consumer use. Every individual can make a difference with their dining, grocery shopping, and food preparation practices, and there are also many ways to get involved beyond the individual level, working with businesses to recover and redirect foods that would otherwise be discarded to be available to those in need.
Points to consider:
- In 2015 the U.S. set an aggressive goal for food waste reduction: 50 percent by 2030. However, we do not currently have policies and incentives in place that would reasonably facilitate such drastic change.
-Fears about liability incurred by donating food that may inadvertently cause illness are largely unsubstantiated. The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act protects both individuals and various business donating food “in good faith.”
-The logistics of storing and transporting food intended for donation is a barrier for many businesses. Well-established organizations such as Feeding America and Food Finders work to alleviate these burdens and keep the process moving. Smaller startups such as Food Cowboy and CropMobster are emerging as well, sometimes using unconventional methods such as online message boards to facilitate exchanges of rescued foods.
-Freshness dates on grocery products are not regulated by any federal law, but rather are imposed by food companies aiming to protect their brand reputation. A food that has passed its freshness date is not necessarily unsafe to eat.
This bill could serve as a general model for change in the US, where the current estimate of waste is as high as 40 percent, a quantity worth $165 billion. Considering that U.S. agriculture consumes 50 percent of our land and 80 percent of our freshwater usage, this means that 20 percent and 32 percent, respectively, is used to produce food that feeds no one. Furthermore, 97% of our wasted food (35 million tons) rots in landfills, comprising the largest component of municipal solid waste and carrying a hefty price tag for disposal.
Aside from the issues of cost, use of resources, and environmental burden, the food waste dilemma overlaps with another critical topic: food insecurity. A mere 15 percent of our current wasted food would be enough food to feed 25 million food insecure Americans. An in-depth study conducted by the USDA using 2010 data calculated the caloric value of food losses to be 1,249 calories per person per day. Major contributors include “undesirable” produce shipped straight from the field to a landfill, food that reaches an arbitrary freshness date at the grocery store and is discarded, commercial foodservice, and consumer use. Every individual can make a difference with their dining, grocery shopping, and food preparation practices, and there are also many ways to get involved beyond the individual level, working with businesses to recover and redirect foods that would otherwise be discarded to be available to those in need.
Points to consider:
- In 2015 the U.S. set an aggressive goal for food waste reduction: 50 percent by 2030. However, we do not currently have policies and incentives in place that would reasonably facilitate such drastic change.
-Fears about liability incurred by donating food that may inadvertently cause illness are largely unsubstantiated. The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act protects both individuals and various business donating food “in good faith.”
-The logistics of storing and transporting food intended for donation is a barrier for many businesses. Well-established organizations such as Feeding America and Food Finders work to alleviate these burdens and keep the process moving. Smaller startups such as Food Cowboy and CropMobster are emerging as well, sometimes using unconventional methods such as online message boards to facilitate exchanges of rescued foods.
-Freshness dates on grocery products are not regulated by any federal law, but rather are imposed by food companies aiming to protect their brand reputation. A food that has passed its freshness date is not necessarily unsafe to eat.
