Did you know that developed countries waste around one-third of the food they produce? Yes, you read that right; we waste more than 30% of the food. As such, it is really essential we stop food waste sooner rather than later. Such wasteful ways are quite horrible. Especially if we also account for the fact that 10% of the world's population is starving at the same time. Moreover, the majority of wasted food continues to end up in landfills, where it rots and releases methane. And, in case you didn't know, methane is about 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. As such, according to some latest data sources, food waste accounts for 10 % of greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, we really must do all we can to stop food waste.
Stop food waste motivation
Just knowing that there are many hungry people and that wasting food is also horrible for the environment should be motivating enough. However, to give ourselves additional motivation, let's look at some shocking facts that ought to help us stop food waste.
- Hundreds of millions of people are starving. According to scientific calculations and predictions, we'd easily feed an additional 3 billion more people if we didn't waste any food. Yes, that is a lot more than the 925 million, which is the estimate of the total number of individuals that go hungry today.
- With wasted food, we waste water. According to the latest data, we waste around one-quarter of our total water supply. Translated into money, that amount of wasted water accounts for $172 billion annually.
- Landfills create methane. We mentioned this above; however, it is worth repeating. Food waste that ends up in landfill releases methane which is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
- We waste the healthiest food the most. Fruits and vegetables are the most wasted food. Roots and tubers come in second. Due to their shorter shelf life, it is logical that these types of food represent the majority of food waste. However, these are the healthiest types of food. Hence we need to make sure to minimize their waste. If nothing, they can be properly collected and converted into new resources via composting.
- We judge books by their covers. Did you know that basically all ugly food gets tossed? Grocery stores don't find it aesthetically appealing enough to shelve. And, while these may seem like grocery stores' fault, it is actually on us - the consumers. We tend to avoid ugly-looking food. However, it is the ugliest food (the one that has been exposed to some adversity) that's the healthiest.
Can we stop food waste?
Theoretically, we should be able to stop food waste; however, realistically, it would be rather utopic to expect zero food waste anytime soon. Though, the current 30-plus percent is a long way from zero. As such, there is enormous room for improvement. Of course, reforming and reorganizing farming and manufacturing will take some time. And they together account for approximately 50% of food waste. However, we can start affecting grocery waste rather fast. This is where individuals have the power to make a difference. Thus, it is up to every household to aim for zero food waste. Sure, this may also be an over-optimistic goal but adding indoor composting into the picture changes everything.
You can stop food waste in your household
Thanks to the bokashi composting systems, every household can start converting kitchen waste to new resources in the comfort of its kitchen. This process can be extremely efficient and friendly to users and the environment when proper composting bins are used. With indoor composters, such as Bokashi Organko Essential, you can easily stop food waste for your household. Though, it's worth repeating that you should first implement other tactics to stop food waste. These include shopping with intention and a shopping list. Keeping your food stack organized, repurposing leftovers, etc. Actually, we have a separate article teaching you more about these tactics.
We know that we can count on you to do your part when it comes to stopping food waste, so thank you. And please keep in mind that together we can make a difference.