Food Waste Reduction 

It should come as no surprise that we are an incredibly wasteful society. It is more cost effective to replace small appliances than repair them. Computers are frequently outmoded before we remove them from their boxes. But such items are only a small part of the 4.3 pounds of waste each American generates every day, a national total of 208 million tons annually.

In this world of consumer glut, perhaps the most shocking realization is that our nation wastes 96 billion pounds of food each year, approximately 27 percent of the 356 billion pounds produced. Over one-quarter of our food production ends up in dumpsters, according to a 1995 study by the Economic Research Service. On the homefront, that means that 280 pounds of food are wasted per household per year -- 28 billion pounds in all. And yet, while waste is morally disgraceful, there is a tragic human element to be considered. According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) study released in mid-September, 12 million American households experienced food insecurity, the "limited or uncertain access to enough food", while four million American households reported moderate or severe hunger.

This scene should also include the hidden price paid by our environment. The 96 billion tons of wasted food represents a significant burden on landfills and other solid waste disposal systems, in addition to the hundreds of millions of dollars incurred in disposal costs. Perhaps more importantly, consider the enormous amount of water resources exploited and expended to produce that wasted food, and the many thousands of tons of toxic pesticides dispersed into our air, soil, and water to produce food for our stuffed landfills, or the petrochemical fertilizers used and spread across the landscape.

It is a somber picture to paint before Thanksgiving and the holiday season. Fortunately, there is much that can be done to improve this situation, steps which we can take as individuals and families, and steps which our society can and must take.

It is a bitter irony that for a nation which excels at wasting food, we are also an overweight nation. Children are experiencing eating disorders in record numbers, and diet drug combinations appear to create other health risks. Naturally, the answer is to eat less and exercise more, but that is a tough road for many individuals. To start, here are some simple guidelines for eating -- and wasting -- less food:

Avoid all-you-can-eat buffets. No meal service wastes more food than a buffet -- or creates more pressure to overeat. When planning a banquet, it is actually less expensive to provide a sit-down meal than a buffet line (caterers calculate for the large amount of wasted food).

Do not shop on an empty stomach! Studies have shown that people who have eaten before shopping buy less food, especially junk or comfort foods, and are less swayed by special sales and discounts on impulse items.

Make a list. If you are trying to cut back on empty calories, plan your purchases in advance and stick with the list. Food shopping without a plan will "default" to bad habits: purchases of foods you wanted to avoid, in addition to perishable items which will go bad before you get to them. Also, "sale" items are generally wasted more readily than expensive foods. Remember, it is not a "good deal" if you throw it away!

Purchase food stuffs in bulk, when applicable. Purchase as much as you need, rather than a preset amount, a portion of which may spoil with time. Also, some people feel obligated to cook an entire package of food, such as pasta, resulting in waste or overeating. Bulk purchases can also reduce the amount of plastic and cardboard waste often found in typical packaging.

Serve smaller portions. It never hurts to switch to smaller plates and serving bowls as we have a tendency to want to fill up an entire surface. Prepare and serve less food -- it means eating less and wasting less, for the most part. It is preferable to let family members take "seconds" than to serve too much.

Make meals out of leftovers. Promptly seal leftovers in reusable air-tight containers, hopefully portion-sized so they can be taken to work or school for lunch the next day. Do not allow leftovers to become forgotten: store them in the front of your refrigerator where you can see them and use them. Out of sight leftovers quickly spoil and are wasted, along with the energy used to transport the food to your market and your home, and the time and energy expended in preparing the meal.

Donate leftovers. Put holiday leftovers into reusable containers and give to guests as they leave your home. Your generosity will eliminate waste and provide a tasty luncheon treat for friends and family. You might also want to consider donating leftovers to a shelter or local food bank.

Waste-free Wednesdays. Provide a weekday lunch in which every item is either consumed, reused, recycled, or composted. Select food which will be completely consumed and which will require a minimum of additional packing. Sandwiches, raw vegetables, or other "prepared" foods can be placed in reusable containers or washable ziplock bags. Fruits like apples and oranges do not require packaging -- and the core or rind can be added to the home compost pile. Beverages can be brought in a reusable thermos rather than disposable containers -- use a recyclable container, if you must. The whole meal can be placed in a reusable lunch box or lunch sack, or you can reuse a plastic or paper bag from around the home and recycle it later. Bring washable utensils and a cloth napkin. Paper napkins can be composted. Try making waste-free Wednesdays an every day affair. And remember that other meals can become waste-free as well with just a bit of planning.

The USDA launched a National Food Recovery and Gleaning Summit in September 15 to report on food waste and hunger in the U.S. and to announce an initiative aimed at returning a percentage of wasted food to the hungry. While the statistics regarding 98 billion tons of wasted food is daunting, the summit pointed to some positive outcomes, even at incremental levels. For example, if just five percent of the wasted food was recovered, it would provide a full day of meals for four million people all year long. That same level of food recovery would further save retailers, food services, and consumers approximately $50 million annually in solid waste disposal costs.

A very positive measure towards this goal is the Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Bill, recently signed into law by President Clinton, which eliminates liability on the part of those who "donate food in good faith," and also protects non-profit entities who distribute the food. The Emerson Bill finally makes it "okay" for banquet halls, caterers, and restaurants to donate leftover sandwiches, cheese boards, fruits, and other foodstuffs to shelters and related food banks.

For information about the USDA Food Recovery and Gleaning Initiative, call 1-800-GLEAN-IT; or view the program's homepage at http://www.usda.gov/news/pubs/gleaning/content.htm

Even with efforts to reduce the amount of food which is wasted and to redirect it to the needy, there will always be a substantial amount of food entering our solid waste stream. These organic materials are the very fabric of the earth which produced them; it is imperative that efforts be taken to return these valuable resources to the soil through composting. Homeowners, for the most part, can compost their fruit and vegetable scraps with backyard bins or worm boxes, and a growing number of savvy farmers have made a practice of composting preharvest, on-the-farm, and related food "losses," and applying them back onto fields. The next step will involve local, regional, and federal leadership to ensure that all unusable and spoiled food from wholesalers, retailers, and individuals find a way back into the land to sustain future crops and future generations.

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