When a person wastes food, he or she could end up having a negative impact on others. This is because food that is not eaten is taken to landfills and becomes a contributor to the main source of the greenhouse gases that exist in the environment. Some people believe that food waste is a benign substance since it rots in the landfills. This is not the case since in order for food to properly compost, it needs air and light. This is not available in the landfill, so the food produces methane gas instead.
Not only will not wasting food save you and your family money, it also helps keep the environment cleaner so you and your family can better enjoy life. Facts show that between 8 and 16 percent of energy that is used in the United States is from food, whether it is food production, food distribution or food preservation. The less food that is wasted means that less energy will be consumed. The way you shop for groceries has an influence on the amount of food you use and how much of it is being wasted. When you shop without a shopping list, you have a tendency to buy more than what you need which is a direct relation to the amount of food that will end up in the trash if it is not eaten. Become a smart shopper and you can help reduce the amount of food waste you are contributing to the environment.
- BBC Alba Highlights the War Against Food Waste
- 7 Ways You Can Stop Wasting Food and Help Save the Earth
- How to Prevent Overbuying and Wasting of Fresh Foods
- Smart Shopping Tips
- Help End Food Waste
- Food Waste Composting
- Environmental Benefits of Food Disposers
- Food Waste to Energy - Frequently Asked Questions
- Scrap Collector
- How to Avoid Wasting Food
- Food Waste Recovery
- Food, Conservation and Energy Act Resources
- The Conservation, Food and Health Foundation
- Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008
- Conservation Government Program Resources
- Food Security: Conservation, Use and Delivery of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
- Food Preservation
Some helpful tips for grocery shopping include:
- Purchase reusable bags and always use these instead of regular paper and plastic. By using your own bags, this reduces the amount of other unnecessary material that is being used. Also, purchase products that have recycled packaging or use minimal packaging.
- Purchase organic products that have the certification logo displayed and only purchase enough fresh produce for the next three days. This ensures that the produce is always fresh, even though it may make it a hassle to return to the grocery store every three or four days.
- Avoid shopping when you are hungry. Those that shop when they are hungry have a tendency to purchase more food.
- Compare the price of the items you are purchasing with the weight of the package to determine if you are getting a good value. If this is too much for what you need, opt for a smaller package.
- Take the best-before and use-by dates into consideration what purchasing your food. Determine whether or not you will be able to use all of the food by that date and if not, purchase a smaller package or one with a later date.
- Carefully consider the items you are purchasing that are running on a special. If the date is within a couple of days or a week, determine if you are about to use this food now, or if it is something that will probably be wasted.
- Opt for more fruits and vegetables in place of meat. Not only is meat usually more expensive per unit weight, it has more of a negative effect on the environment when wasted.
- Be careful to avoid overbuying, which is easy to do when you see large quantities for cheaper prices. It eliminates the financial benefit if the food spoils or deteriorates before you are able to actually use it.
In addition to keeping track and organizing the way you go shopping for your groceries, there are also a few other ways to help you reduce the amount of food waste once you have already purchased the food:
- Keep the temperature in your refrigerator between 34 and 41 degrees Fahrenheit. This allows for maximum freshness and longevity.
- Do not throw soft fruit away. Instead, use it in fruit pies or smoothies. For vegetables that are beginning to wilt, instead of throwing them away, make them into a soup.
- Use up all of the leftovers no matter how small the amount. If it is not enough to eat as a full meal, incorporate it into the next day’s meal that you are going to cook. Some leftover tuna can be used in a pasta salad and the small amount of cooked vegetables you have can be the base in a crock pot meal.
- Reuse the unavoidable food waste by composting it and using it for your houseplants and garden. This can even be done with fish and meat, so there is no excuse.
The following resources may be used to help you learn about food conservation: