Food waste poses a severe challenge in the United States, which has far-reaching consequences on the economy, environment, and society. In some way, about forty percent of the total food produced for human consumption is wasted by either loss before it reaches the consumer or lost after its purchase (Buzby et al., 2014). This situation represents the unnecessary wastage of many vital resources like water, labor, and nutrients. To find the solution to this issue, it is essential to know the various causes of food wastage in the country.
All the stages in the food supply chain that can manufacture, distribute, retail, and consume are areas where wasted foods may occur. Even though many studies have focused on waste at the level of the home, trash should be considered in other contexts as well( Bagherzadeh et al., 2014). This consideration reveals the importance of addressing waste management in private homes and public establishments, for instance, schools.
One of the causes of food waste is consumer belief that disposal will keep quality and safety. Consumers are happy to pay more for programs that extend the shelf life of food. This shows that consumers are worried about the quality and safety of food. Because of this misconception, people sometimes throw away perfectly edible food with visible flaws, or because of the product’s expiry date came and welcomes the consumers generally misunderstand the date labels on food products and throw away things that are not bad in any way but can still be consumed.
Several factors lead to food waste; one needs to be better and teach about the correct ways to preserve and store food. Poor understanding of proper storage procedures for customers’ fruits, vegetables, and leftovers may result in early lineage, hence waste and age (Cwastageal., 2019). This can be a negative result. It is, therefore, crucial to ensure that customers receive appropriate education programs through which they acquire knowledge and skills needed for reducing food waste in twasteouseholds.
The other significant aspect that leads to the wasting of food is economic issues. If a household has higher means, their chances of wasting food are more significant because they find it easier to substitute the lost produce when it spoils or does not favor them. Right now, many fruits and vegetables that do not pass stringent cosmetic standards are usually thrown away even though they are perfectly edible. Thus, by increasing the popularity of “ugly” fruits and vegetables among farmers and both parties, es can gain (Bagherzadeh et al.,2014). With less waste for farmers and more affordable, nutritional food items for consumers.
Composting programs can also be introduced. Rather than food scraps and other organic waste that can be composted and used as fertilizer instead up in landfills where they contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, food scrag food waste by encouraging households, restaurants, and businesses to compost their organic waste can help cities significantly reduce the number of foodstuffs sent to landfills. Food donation programs need to be extended. This is because several organizations and charities are already working towards collecting surplus food from restaurants, grocery stores, or even farms and giving it to needy people. On the other hand, this could be supplemented by offering incentives to businesses participating in donation programs and enhancing logistics to ensure that food reaches those requiring it (Bagherzadeh et al.,2014).
The second policy and regulation are those aspects that may reduce food waste. Policy less intricate examples include uniform date labeling and more precise guidelines for proper food storage, helping to minimize confusion amongst consumers and avoid the unnecessary discarding of edible products. Further, offering economic incentives to organizations who donate unused food left over from their operations for being delivered via and thereby reducing the amount of wasted surplus produce helps save companies from manufacturing rotten foods due to shortages and then dealing with food insecurity.
Lastly, food waste in the U.S. is a huge issue, and measures must be taken. Waste at all stages of the food supply chain must be considered, namely production, distribution, selling, and individual consumption. Different approaches can be taken to prevent food waste, such as advocating for imperfect produce, legislations, and regulations and establishing programs for growing activities such as all-en and composting programs. Not only can we protect critical resources, but by controlling food waste—the study of which is essentially a form of modeling and strategic planning given the inequality in available reference points —we decrease hunger, reduce greenhouse emission gases damage, pay homage to Kyoto protocols all while progressing toward greater sustainability. There needs to be a partnership between individual corporations and policymakers to solve this problem and create a food system that is economically and environmentally far more viable.
References
Bagherzadeh M, Inamura M, Jeong H. (2014). Food Waste Along the Food Chain. OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers. https://doi.org/10.1787/5jxrcmftzj36-en
Buzby, J. C., Farah-Wells, H., & Hyman, J. (2014). The Estimated Amount, Value, and Calories of Postharvest Food Losses at the Retail and Consumer Levels in the United States. SSRN Electronic Journal, p. 121. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2501659
Capps, O., Ishdorj, A., Murano, P., Field, L., Hutto, A., & Storey, M. (2019). Waste Not Want Not: Examining Plate Waste of Vegetables in Elementary School Lunches. CHOICES, 34(1). https://www.choicesmagazine.org/UserFiles/file/cmsarticle_667.pdf
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