Numbers
"Every year, over 1.3 billions of tons food is being wasted globally."
What is the biggest issue surrounding global food waste?
Some of the biggest issues with food waste happening is that landfills are filling up at a very serious and alarming rates.
What's one thing we can do to avoid food waste? *CLUE* - Labels
...to decrease food waste is to not misinterpret expiration labels for foods that are perfectly safe to eat.
What can we do with leftover scraps?
With leftover vegetable scraps, we can use them to make healthy compost for plants.
What would happen if we continue wasting food?
-Increases climate change
- Accelerates resource depletion
-Worsens global hunger.
-Contributing to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions
-Drains 70% of the world's freshwater.
-If this trend continues, methane emissions from landfills will increase.
How much food is edible and how much of it is actual food waste?
That’s 45% of edible food going to waste with only 2% of it actually being wasted.
What does incinerated mean?
...not all food is going to a landfill some of it is being incinerated meaning it’s burned.
What is the last solution mentioned to prevent food waste?
...freezing food that can’t be eaten immediately, but can be eaten later on.
To avoid throwing leftovers, what can we do?
We can cook food in smaller portions to avoid throwing leftovers away.
Who has set a goal to reduce food loss and waste by 50% by 2030?
The US government, led by the USDA (The United States Department of Agriculture), EPA (The Environmental Protection Agency), and FDA (The Food and Drug Administration)
How much food waste is found in homes?
Studies have shown that (43%) of food waste is mainly found in homes
Why is it bad that food is being incinerated?
This is very bad because it’s contribution adds greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, which causes global warming and climate change.
Who has worked together to show labels portraying what isn’t safe to eat or what is?
The Grocery Manufacturers Association, the Food Marketing Institute, and Harvard University
To prevent produce from molding, what can we learn?
We can learn the different ways to store food to prevent it from molding.
What are their key strategies?
-Setting national reduction targets
-Investing in composting and anaerobic digestion infrastructure
-Standardizing food date labels to reduce consumer confusion
-Encouraging food donations through liability protection laws.
How much is found in food services like restaurants?
(40%) of it is found in food services from popular restaurants
*BONUS * What are greenhouse gases?
Greenhouse gases are atmospheric gases that include carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, which trap heat from the sun near Earth's surface, creating a "blanket" effect.
What are two examples of the labels they used?
Some examples are “BEST IF USED BY,” and “USE BY”
What can we do with leftover vegetables?
Leftover vegetables that we won’t be using can be chopped and frozen.
What are the benefits of not wasting food?
Decreased greenhouse gas emissions from landfills and economic savings for residents and businesses.
Strengthens community resilience, creates local jobs in donation networks, and conserves valuable resources like water and land.
How much waste comes from farms and manufacturers?
(16%) comes from farms and (2%) from manufacturers.
*BONUS* Which greenhouse gas is affecting the climate the most?
It is a major driver of climate change, responsible for roughly 30% of global temperature rise since the Industrial Revolution.
What are the labels used for?
Some examples are “BEST IF USED BY,” which describes the quality of the produce, and “USE BY” means that it is highly perishable or has safety concerns over time.
What should you always consider before buying a product and why?
Consider whether or not you’ll actually use the products you are buying.
All of these are great tips we can apply in our life to prevent global waste.
True or False - As a community we can contribute to a better cause and reduce global good waste?
*TRUE*