Submitted by: Stephanie Zhang
Food waste—no, we’re not talking about rotten food—we’re talking about fresh, good food. Bins of fresh food are locked in a box and sent to the landfill. 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted each year. Food waste is primarily caused by these reasons: cosmetic standards, consumer expectations for stores to always be filled, and all-you can eat buffets.
Wasting food is not just morally wrong, but it also creates a big impact on climate change. We have already reached ecological limits, but then we choose to chop down more trees to grow food, extract water from depleting water reserves, and emit fossil fuel emissions in the quest to grow more and more food… and then we throw so much of it away.
It’s time to think of saving. Saving food. Saving the environment.
You may think that, “well, uneaten food goes to compost and that helps grow more food so it’s okay!” But you’re wrong. Decomposing food releases methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas; discarded food generates over 3.3 billion metric tons of Carbon Dioxide (CO2).
Wasting food is a serious issue that needs our immediate attention. People have the power to change the world. You have the power to change the world. We need to make noise, start petitions, and visit our government leaders. It’s time to put a stop to food waste.
