Food waste: a global problem
How can we reduce the amount of food we waste?
As a species, we waste a shit-load of food. Even the poorest countries in the world waste around 150kg of food per person per year, which goes to show how much work we have to do in this area. Given that our food & drink accounts for around 25% of our carbon footprint in the UK, it’s no wonder why Drawdown have rated reducing global food waste as the #3 highest impact action to preventing climate change. Food waste is responsible for around 8% of global emissions — that’s just the waste!
The key difference between poorer and richer countries in terms of food waste is where in the supply chain the food is wasted (and the reasons why). In poorer countries, food waste occurs towards the beginning of the food cycle as a result of managerial, technical and financial constraints. In richer countries, it’s in the later stages of the supply chain as a result of unclear farmer-buyer contracts and poor retail and consumption habits.
So what can we do to reduce these crazy numbers?
Show supermarkets you demand those imperfect foods!
We live in a world of perfect food. We choose things based on their colour, straightness and size. Ladies.
It’s become so out-of-hand that Tesco switched to selling only straight croissants. Croissant literally means crescent in French!
The first thing we can do is not be so bloody picky. Varying colours of fruit and veg actually makes for a more vibrant looking plate. Wonky veg may take 10 seconds more to peel but it’s still the same product, and any self-respecting chef knows that it’s not the size that matters, it’s what you do with it. (I’ll stop with the innuendos now)
Companies like Oddbox are beginning to work their way up the supply chain to provide customers directly with the food supermarkets reject based on perceived imperfections.
Plan your meals
Meal planning will save you time and money, you’ll likely end up eating a wider variety of foods which may refine your cooking skills, and tracking what you eat is a keystone habit, meaning you’ll not only eat a more balanced diet but you’ll also be more likely to do other good habits (exercise, sleep etc.). You’ll also waste much less food. That’s a lot of good reasons to start doing this.
Check out Too Good to Go
My final suggestion is to check out the Too Good to Go app. They work with loads of food and drink partners around the country to provide a platform where any food that would otherwise go to waste can be sold for a fraction of the usual retail price. Some deals to be had, plus it’s a big chunk of carbon you’’ll be saving every time.
Food waste is a really big problem around the world. It takes an enormous amount of energy and effort to get food to our fridges, let’s not let the whole process go to waste by simply being lazy!
If you’re interested in reducing your carbon footprint, head over to our actions page.
