Have We Become A Throw-Away Society?
‘Out with the old, in with the new,’ a motto that has been consistently used to promote ‘change’ in society.
Except, we live in a world that where society is strongly influenced by consumerism rather than conservation. Moreover, the term “throw-away society” frequently comes up to denote our negative lifestyle trend and habits. In recent years, we’ve seen a growing trend in awareness toward conserving resources and in planning for the future of our planet. With the rise of many local and global initiatives, we have begun educating people and shifting the focus to creating a sustainable society. Yet, there is far more to be accomplished.
Save Food!, a study conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN shows that we waste about a whopping 1.3 billion tons of food a year. This figure only comprises food that could have been consumed and does not even account for food gone bad! When we take into account the financial burden that food wastage causes, a whopping US$ 680 billion of food is thrown away in industrialized countries, and US$ 310 billion in developing countries as seen in the study carried out by the Think.Eat.Save campaign of the Save Food Initiative. In the US every year US$ 165 billion of food is thrown away and individually, American families waste approximately 25 percent of the food and beverages they buy and the cost estimate for this wastage is US$ 1,365 to US$2,275 annually as per the Wasted study (The Natural Resources Defense Council).
According to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Report, approximately 793 million people are starving around the world. In 2017, an estimated 1 of every 8 American was food insecure, equating to 40 million Americans including more than 12 million children. As we delve deeper into the effects of wastage, we see the more widespread problem with staggering consequences on the environment and biodiversity in the form of climate change and consumption of water and land resources. The FAO’s Food Wastage Footprint has estimated the carbon footprint of food produced and not eaten is approximately 3.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year.
As individuals, we can be the torchbearers of change that we want to see in the world starting with ourselves, our homes and, our kitchens.
To begin, it’s always a good idea to keep a check of all items in your pantry and refrigerator. Instead of shopping excessively, mindful shopping can cut unnecessary bills and wastage too. Sustainable consumption can also be seen in the form of eating the whole vegetable or fruit regardless of its roots, stalks or scraps, parts which are often nutritionally dense! Alternatively buying local produce, having a better understanding of food expiration labels and learning the correct food storage methods including freezing and eating leftovers would go a long way in reducing the amount of food wastage.
Here, at Chefling, we’re constantly looking for new ways to innovate with cooking. Cooking isn’t all about creating a scrumptious meal that’s beautiful; it’s also about creating sustainable cooking solutions. If you’re looking to do your part, we’re always here to help you. Fire up the Chefling app and add all your items to the pantry. Once added, Chefling can remind you about the food that is going to spoil and can suggest recipes based on the ingredients, so that you can use it before you have to throw it away!
We stand at crossroads, not just for the health of the society but the planet too. How much do we really need to lose before we decide to act?
Every little gesture counts, and there’s always a bigger impact when we’re all collectively working towards making this world a better place to live. Consumerism and throw-away society are undoubtedly the biggest evil of this generation but’s it’s also an evil that’s a personal choice. Throw away or zero waste, your call!
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