Previous Earth Wise segments have explored the global problem of food waste. In developing nations, inefficient harvesting and poor storage result in less than half of produced crops making it to the marketplace. In the U.S., food waste tends to occur in grocery stores, homes, and restaurants.
The problem has gotten worse with the rise of super-sized portions, demand for perfect produce, and overly-cautious ‘sell by dates.’ A National Resource Defense Council study found most Americans toss a quarter of their household food purchases. This works out to about 20lbs of discarded food per person each month.
Seventy percent of Earth’s freshwater and more than half its usable land are committed to agriculture. Getting food from farm-to-fork requires fossil fuels and fertilizers. Also, less than 8% of Americans compost. Most food waste ends up in landfills where it emits methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
Seattle, Washington is looking to break bad habits. It is the first city in the nation to fine homeowners for putting food waste in the trash. As of January 1st, homeowners found with more than 10 percent food waste in their bins will be flagged with a red notice and levied with a small fine.
While the goal of the ordinance is to reduce the 100,000 tons of food waste being shipped 300 miles to a landfill in Oregon, city-dwellers will be paying a lot more attention to their garbage. The hope is that public education will result in more efficient practices – both in the home and at the curb.
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Web Links
Food Waste Requirement Frequently Asked Questions
Photo, posted July 31, 2014, courtesy of Eos Maia Reichow via Flickr.
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Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio, with script contribution from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies.