Reducing Food Waste In California

Food waste is an expensive drain on the economy and extremely harmful to the environment, and it is one of the largest waste-related challenges facing us, according to California’s Against Waste website. More than a third of all of the food that’s produced never makes it to a person’s table. It is either spoiled on it’s way or it is thrown away when people buy too much and they get rid of the extras. In California itself, nearly 6 million tons of food is throwing out in the waste. Most of the food waste gets thrown out in the landfills, creating Methane, a strong greenhouse gas. Which leads to the contribution of climate change and the rise of temperatures. Another problem is that 42.2 million Americans live in food insecure households. So

Reducing food loss and waste is their mission. They provide the needed information on the best ways to reduce, recover, and recycle for food loss and waste. Anybody can join this cause by following three simple steps: reduce, recover, and recycle. According to USDA, you can reduce food waste by improving product development, storage, marketing and cooking methods. You can recover food waste by donating to food donors like food banks and pantries. You can recycle food waste by feeding animals, creating compost, or by making natural fertilizer. When organizations and businesses start joining programs like U.S Food Waste Challenge, they are showing that they are willing to help with the food waste issue, and the reduction of the environmental impact food waste

So the question is, how can we get nutritious food that would go into the trash, go to families and individuals that need it the most. That’s where “food rescuing” come in. Food rescuing is rescuing food that is edible, but it is not saleable. Some of these products have either passed their expiration date, or they just simply are not a good looking shape, for example a bruised apple. According to EPA, many non-perishable and unspoiled perishable foods can be donated to local food banks, pantries and shelters. Some of these products are being donated by grocery stores, restaurants and food vendors, which are then distribute to hungry people in their communities. This reduces food waste ending up on landfill, and instead it feeds somebody in need.

At one point, we have been scolded for playing with our food or for not finish the food that was in our plate. Now we see that food waste is a bigger issue, that has to be more focused on. Millions and millions of food waste is being thrown to landfills. Which leads to the food rotting and then it throws out methane up into the air. Food waste has an environmental impact, and contributes to climate change and the rise of temperature. But by reducing food waste, we’re not only helping our environment but we are also feeding the hungry when we reduce, recover and recycle food