Step #5 - Eat right - waste less

Is that simple: eat right, and throw less away. That will make you healthy, save you money and help save the planet.

Image taken from savingcentsably.com

According to Next Generation Food (NGF) it is estimated that food wasted by the US and Europe could feed the world three times over. Food waste contributes to excess consumption of freshwater and fossil fuels which, along with methane and CO2 emissions from decomposing food, impacts global climate change. Every ton of food waste prevented has the potential to save 4.2 tons of CO2 equivalent. If we all stop wasting food that could have been eaten, the CO2 impact would be the equivalent of taking one in four cars off the road.

Food waste doesn’t only mean we are throwing away food. Eating more than we need could also be a form of food waste.

Here are some statistics on food waste:

• Americans waste 96 BILLION pounds of food every year (some argue that this is old data and underestimated).
• If only 25% of 96 billion pounds of food were recovered, we could feed 20 million people
• The study funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - The Progressive Increase of Food Waste in America and Its Environmental Impact, found that 40% of all the food produced in the US is thrown out.
• We produce twice as much food as needed per person
• Landfills account for the largest human related source of methane, which is a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
• Food disposal costs the US about 1 billion dollars.
• An average household of four throws away $590/year in food.
• In the US, food waste has increased by 50 percent since 1974
• Food waste accounts for more than a quarter of freshwater consumption and 300 million barrels of annually.
• Food is the third largest waste stream after paper and yard waste

After all this data here are some tips to reduce our food waste:

• Fridges and cupboards tend to hide a lot of food - Check them weekly and bring foods that will expire soon to the front.
• While buying in bulk can save you money, it can cost you more if you purchase items in large quantities with a short use-by date. Only bulk purchase items you know will be consumed before the food spoils.
• Don't shop from memory. This results in buying too much of one thing and not enough of another - and waste sometimes occurs.
• Supermarkets are designed with one thing in mind - to get you buying more than what you originally came in for. Stick to the list.
• Improper storage generates massive amounts of food waste. Make sure you don’t leave packets open, store in the right containers or even freeze food so you can reduce waste.
• Control you portion. No doubt there's particular meals you prepare that seem to generate more waste than others. That's fine if the leftovers con be consumed before going bad. If not, then you really need to look at portion control by reducing the amount you cook .
• Overeating is waste. If you eat more than your body needs, you'll either gain weight or have to burn it off somehow; perhaps through non-productive exercise which is like idling your car engine.

Sources:

http://www.guygoesgreen.com/eye-opening-statistics-on-food-waste/
http://www.nextgenerationfood.com/news/looking-at-food-waste/
http://www.greenlivingtips.com/blogs/491/Food-waste-statistics.html
http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/268/1/Cutting-food-waste.html
http://www.savingcentsably.com/?tag=food-waste