Food Waste?? COMPOST!

 

(photo credit:  www.insteading.com)

So today I spent some time reading a report by the Natural Resources Defense Council.  You can access the report by clicking here:

http://www.nrdc.org/food/files/wasted-food-IP.pdf

 

The title alone is quite telling. 

Wasted:  How America is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm to Fork to Landfill

I originally heard about this in a brief media clip on a local news station.  And upon reading the report, I was shocked to find out just how much food is wasted by farming operations, grocery stores and restaurants.  Not to mention over purchasing from a consumer perspective.  But here are some of the facts from the report:

1.       On average, diners leave 17% of meals uneaten and 55%    of these potential leftovers are not taken home.

2.       American families throw out approximately 25% of the food and beverages they buy.

3.       Today, portion sizes can be two to eight times larger than USDA or FDA standard serving sizes.

4.       In 2008, 126 billion pounds of food was lost within the food services industry.

5.       A large tomato packing house reported that in mid-season it can fill a dump truck with 22,000 pounds of discarded tomatoes every forty minutes.

6.       The decomposition of uneaten food accounts for 23% of all methane emission in the United States.

So what does all of this mean?  For starters, it shows that American food supply is such that we can eradicate hunger, but instead we have become wasteful.  It is also a clear indication that we are not managing our waste properly.  It is almost as if we have taken our food for granted.  And not only the food, the resources that it takes to get the food to our favorite restaurant or grocery store.  Transportation costs, water, and labor to harvest crops just to cull based on aesthetic criteria. 

What happened to common sense?  Only preparing what can be eaten?

 Because we live in a world of excess, Americans are so used to having everything within a three block radius.  Looking for the next big super food from a country nearly 3,000 miles away?  Check aisle six.  Looking for fresh seafood from one of the most remote places on earth?  Served nightly at your favorite restaurant with free delivery.  America’s obsession with excess provides a bit more clarity on the epidemic of obesity and other preventable ailments.   Too much is never enough. 

So what is the solution to America’s waste problem?  I’m willing to cast my vote for composting. The report did mention composting as an important way to manage waste.  But with only 3% of all food being composted, more has to be done to make a bigger impact. 

The science of composting is decomposing carbon and nitrogen inputs to create a nutrient-rich additive that can be used as soil or in combination with other organic substances.  If you are not sure what I mean by this, no worries.  I will write a step by step blog (with pictures) on how to compost.  It is really easy and the best part about it is that you can do your part to reduce food waste and contribute to the soil creation movement.  So I’m just wondering, how many of you compost?  And do you eat the leftovers?

Black Health and Wealth Always,

 

Karolyn Oakley
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