Causes and effects of food waste in America

This research paper will explore the causes and effects of food waste in America. Specifically, it will discuss the reasons why so much food is wasted in this country, as well as the negative impact that this has on both individuals and society as a whole.

According to the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), approximately 40% of food in America goes uneaten every year (1). That means that each person in the United States throws away an average of nearly one pound of food per day. There are a number of reasons why this occurs.

One reason for all this wasted food is that Americans have become accustomed to large portions. When we go to restaurants, we expect to be served a lot of food, even if we can't finish it all. And when we're grocery shopping, we often buy more than we need because it's on sale or we're worried about running out.

Another reason food goes to waste is that we have unrealistic expectations for what fruits and vegetables should look like. We often throw away perfectly good produce simply because it doesn't meet our aesthetic standards. For example, a study conducted by the NRDC found that Americans reject blemished apples 80% of the time (2).

Not only is this wasteful, but it's also costly. According to a report from ReFED, a food waste reduction nonprofit, reducing food waste in America would save consumers, businesses, and municipalities $161 billion annually (3). That's because when food goes to waste, we not only lose the opportunity to eat it, but also the money we spent on it in the first place.

In addition to the financial cost, there is also an environmental cost to food waste. When food rots in landfills, it emits methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. In fact, the decomposition of food waste is responsible for nearly 10% of all methane emissions in the United States (4).

Food waste also has a social cost. There are millions of people in America who don't have enough to eat, yet we throw away enough food to feed them twice over. In fact, according to Feeding America, a nationwide network of food banks, every year there are enough food donations to feed hungry people, but due to a lack of storage and transportation, much of it goes to waste (5).

Clearly, food waste is a problem with far-reaching consequences. It's time for Americans to take steps to reduce the amount of food we waste. One way to do this is to be more mindful of the food we buy and only purchase what we need. We can also support organizations that are working to reduce food waste, such as the NRDC and Feeding America. By taking these steps, we can help make a difference in the fight against hunger and protect our environment for future generations