Articles are posting regularly now that food waste has become a hot topic in food, nutrition and agricultural circles. Early January, the New York Times featured an article on the front page of the food section “Taking On Food Waste in Central Ohio.” One of the most shocking statistics early in the article claims “In the United States, food waste is responsible for twice as many greenhouse gas emissions as commercial aviation, leading some experts to believe that reducing food waste is one of our best shots at combating climate change.” A compelling statement.
The full page article describes initiatives taking place in Ohio to raise awareness and change peoples’ behavior with some positive results. Also of interest is their initiative to target children in classrooms. As we know, adult behavior is hard to change, but influencing children before their behaviors become ingrained habits is a good strategy.
Breaking Down the Food Waste Problem
Begin at the Beginning
Reduce Waste: Farm, processing, distribution, retail, home
Stop it at the Middle
Disposal of spoiled food: Composting and Landfills
Resources
A review of the web regarding this topic delivers a wealth of information. Here are some good ones.
- US Department of Agriculture Food Waste Activities what the USDA us doing
- Environmental Protection Agency The Sustainable Management of Food overview the issues
- Food and Drug Administration Food Loss and Waste Includes a social media toolkit
- Food and Agricultural Organization 15 quick tips for reducing food waste and becoming a Food hero
- The New York Times Taking On Food Waste in Central Ohio January 4, 2023
- Harvard School of Public Health, Sustainability, Plate and Planet, Food Waste
Career Thoughts: Passionate about the environment and climate change? Check out how a career in environmental science, public health, etc. Read about it.
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