Food Waste In America Essay
The Unpalatable Truth about Food Waste in America
Each year, nearly forty percent of food is wasted in America. Per person, about one thousand four hundred calories are wasted each day (Hall, et al. 1). We turn up our noses at a bruised apple. At milk that’s a few days past its “sell by” date. At unappetizing overcooked broccoli. We dump out slightly wilted kale. Cans that have been dented on one side. Anything past its expiration date. We’re secure in our privilege, so we destroy food without a second thought. But with one in six Americans lacking a secure supply of food (Coleman-Jensen, et al. 12), this is clearly not a harmless habit. Food waste in America is detrimental to us all, and it’s critical that we resolve this problem.
This is an issue that starts at the source. For fruits and vegetables, in particular, it’s hard to estimate the amount needed. Things like diseases and parasites can decimate crops. A farmer may overcompensate, and end up with far more food than the market requires (Gunders 7).
Waste continues as the food makes its way into retail. For supermarkets, the appearance of the store and the products inside of it is critical. They keep fully stocked shelves. Towering heaps of apples. Stacks of premade wraps. To keep up this façade of perfection, only blemish-free products are allowed in. Overstocked …show more content…
This is a problem that’s been escalating for far too long. It’s time for America to become aware of the copious amounts of food it wastes. Start caring more about the food being wasted in your own house. Tell your friends. Let them tell their friends. Make the United States a place where people are deliberately reducing food waste. Because they care. About the environment. About the economy. About people who are starving. Food waste in America is a huge problem. So next time you’re at the grocery store, spare a thought for that forty-seven percent of food that’s headed for your garbage
Each year, nearly forty percent of food is wasted in America. Per person, about one thousand four hundred calories are wasted each day (Hall, et al. 1). We turn up our noses at a bruised apple. At milk that’s a few days past its “sell by” date. At unappetizing overcooked broccoli. We dump out slightly wilted kale. Cans that have been dented on one side. Anything past its expiration date. We’re secure in our privilege, so we destroy food without a second thought. But with one in six Americans lacking a secure supply of food (Coleman-Jensen, et al. 12), this is clearly not a harmless habit. Food waste in America is detrimental to us all, and it’s critical that we resolve this problem.
This is an issue that starts at the source. For fruits and vegetables, in particular, it’s hard to estimate the amount needed. Things like diseases and parasites can decimate crops. A farmer may overcompensate, and end up with far more food than the market requires (Gunders 7).
Waste continues as the food makes its way into retail. For supermarkets, the appearance of the store and the products inside of it is critical. They keep fully stocked shelves. Towering heaps of apples. Stacks of premade wraps. To keep up this façade of perfection, only blemish-free products are allowed in. Overstocked …show more content…
This is a problem that’s been escalating for far too long. It’s time for America to become aware of the copious amounts of food it wastes. Start caring more about the food being wasted in your own house. Tell your friends. Let them tell their friends. Make the United States a place where people are deliberately reducing food waste. Because they care. About the environment. About the economy. About people who are starving. Food waste in America is a huge problem. So next time you’re at the grocery store, spare a thought for that forty-seven percent of food that’s headed for your garbage