Packaging shares blame for food waste
January 30, 2014
Reducing food waste
Americans are throwing away 40 percent of food in the U.S., the equivalent of $165 billion in uneaten food each year, according to a new analysis by the Natural Resources Defense Council. In a time of drought and skyrocketing food prices, NRDC outlines opportunities to reduce wasted food and money on the farm, in the grocery store and at home. Read the full issue brief at www.nrdc.org/food/wasted-food.asp.
"As a country, we're essentially tossing every other piece of food that crosses our path—that's money and precious resources down the drain," says Dana Gunders, NRDC project scientist with the food and agriculture program. "With the price of food continuing to grow, and drought jeopardizing farmers nationwide, now is the time to embrace all the tremendous untapped opportunities to get more out of our food system. We can do better."
NRDC's issue brief, Wasted: How America is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm To Fork to Landfill, analyzes the latest case studies and government data on the causes and extent of food losses at every level of the U.S. food supply chain. It also provides examples and recommendations for reducing this waste.
Key findings include:
• Americans trash 40 percent of our food supply every year, valued at about $165 billion;