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Food Waste

Leslie Contreras

Glendale Community College

Abstract
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This paper will examine the different aspects to food waste and how we can prevent the amount

of food waste in America. It will also include an solution to how we can save food from going to

waste. It will as well give many different points from articles, newspapers, websites, and videos

on what food waste is and where we can go to help reduce our food waste. Furthermore, it will

have an interview that I did to a cook named Matt Huang from the restaurant called Golden Wei.

I will also give statistics, plenty of information, and data from each article to show you the

amount of food waste and how to prevent it. The general idea here is to include various steps and

procedures to how I plan to save food from going to waste in America. As well to show what I

already know and what I have found out about food waste in America.

Food Waste
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What did I already know about food waste? Basically, I knew that many of the trash

wasted goes to landfills, which then emit a toxic gas called methane. Methane gas is a gas that

contains carbon dioxide(CO2) and another type of gas as well. The fact that this gas contains

carbon dioxide makes this much more harmful for all people. Although, if we reduce food waste

we can reduce the amount of air pollution caused by the toxic gas and the size of the landfills.

Another peice of information I already knew was that Americans waste more food than any other

country in the United States. Mainly, because of how Americans want all food fresh and easy to

access, such as in stores, restarants, and farms. Now, imagine if people did do so much more than

just waste food like feed others, donate food, or even compost. How awesome would it be to see

the change in the world with just a few more people reducing there food waste.

First off, the questions that are driving me to want to know more about food waste are: If

there is a way in which, people can reduce the amount of food waste produced each day? Also

wanted to know what kinds of outcomes would come from reducing food waste in America? For

instance, I read that in many countrys the food wasted is used to create more jobs and homes for

the less fortunate people. Many say and think that the outcomes in the long run are going to help

the earth and those less fortunate. Although, Knowing that a large amount of food is going to

landfills, there should be a more purposeful way to reduce food to compost or donate it to those

in need; wasted food, although completely biodegradable and often edible, is sometimes mixed

in with the rest of our garbage and disposed into a landfill.

Description of problem
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Many may be wondering what is food loss or food waste? Food loss is the unintentional

reduction of food available for human consumption due to insufficient supply, poor structure,

and the lack of technology. Food waste on the other hand, is the intentional discarding of edible

items, mainly by retailers and consumers such as ourselves. Based on the article Background

information it states that “About 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted globally per year.” This

meaning that tons and tons of food is being wasted. Now, where does this problem of food waste

show up? The problem shows up once we look into air pollution and start to notice those who

have no food. Also if people started to think about how much food they are wasting then they

would see a problem as well. Next, we will see who is being affected by this problem of food

waste.

The problem of food waste is affecting everyone in the aspect that all people are inhaling

a toxic gas and making landfills larger. For instance, in the book called American Wasteland it

states how there is a toxic gas being spread out into the world becuse of the food in landfills.

This meaning that everyone is affected because as people throw away food they are also letting

in the toxic gas called methane. Methane gas even though toxicating it as well can be very

harmful to the enviornment as it pollutes the air. Based on Warshawsky Journal it states that

“food waste has resulted in negative outcomes for food security, land use, and methane

production associated with climate change.” Thus saying that it not only affects people, but other

aspects to life as well.

However, the case is not just on the food wasted today, but also on the food wasted back

then. The question here is how long has food waste been around? Based on my research food

waste has been around for more than a thousand years. This topic of food waste goes back to

when climate change began and also to when recycling was a big deal. For example, “... where
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world leaders talked about sustainable development, and three months before the climate change

conference in Paris, where the Food and Agriculture Organization announced a multi-country

initiative.” (KUMMER, pg.6), the statement shows that there is a food and agriculture

organization devoted to food and climate change. As stated before food waste goes back to

climate change and to learning how to recycle the items one has alreaady used.

Another aspect to look at is on wether or not food waste is it getting worse? Generally

speaking food waste is getting worse because there are now homeless people asking for food.

There is also more trash piling up in the landfills, which eventually will take up more and more

space. Personally, I can remember a time when I was little seeing homeless people on the streets

and me just wanting to give them food and shelter at my house. In addition to that, going with

my church friends to feed the homeless when I was in middle school. Also the second reason

why food waste is getting worse is because food is pilling up in landfills. Yet, the idea of edible

food pilling up is sad knowing how it can go to those in need and help our plante.

Many of the elements that make up most of our waste in landfills are the throwing away of edible

food and the throwing away of recyclable items. Yet, these elements cause harm to the world

with there negative effects and outcomes. Some of the causes involve a toxic gas called methane,

which as mentioned earlier it pollutes the air. Also the fact that people are being left without

food, and that the landfills are expanding. For example, “Staggering and cruel: Hunger charities

report that one in six Americans struggles to get enough to eat; the USDA reported that 14.3

percent of households in 2013 did not have sufficient food.” ( Jensen, pg.1 ). Thus meaning, that

all Americans should try as much as possible to reduce food waste as it has a big impact.

Most people are probably wondering why the problem has not yet been solved, well it has

many times. The situation here is not on solving the problem, but rather have more people
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contribute and support the situation. For example,“ Mr. Swannell, of the antiwaste group Wrap,

applauded those efforts, but said more still needed to be done.” (Nixon, pg.1) This is why the

more obvious solutions are not adequate or workable. Mainly becuse people are lazy, they do not

bother and support, and becuse no one has really seen the significance to food waste. Yet, the

significance to food waste is so much more powerful. It just take a little bit of time and effort in

order for one or maybe even millions of people to change the world.

What are the negative consequences of not solving the problem? The negative

consequences to food waste are less space for buildings, more greenhouse gas out in the air, and

more food waste. For instance,“ 40% of the food grown in the US is thrown out, and 90% of that

waste goes directly into landfills, contributing to the creation of greenhouse gasses.”( youtube

video). The landfills where we throw our trash are the third most largest source of human-related

methane emissions in the United States. A landfill gas is composed of 50% methane gas, which

is the primary component of the natural gas. It also has another 50% of carbon dioxide and a

small amount of non-methane organic compound. In an iterview with a chef at a restaurant I

found out the following: no prevention strategies besides freezing the food and not caring so

much for it. Also that at Golden Wei they hardly waste food because most of there food can be

frozen and saved. I even asked him how he would reduce food waste at work and why? And all

he said was “ I would either take it home or give it to someone in need.” (M.Huang, personal

communication, April 10, 2018) This to me was shocking seeing how resturants seem to be the

most wasteful place out there right behind grocery stores.

Solution:

My solution to food waste is to have people compost, donate food, and or invest in a smart

intellectual fridgerator. The cost for donating or composting food is nothing just time and effort,

but for the fridge it will cost a lot more. Generally speaking I cant say how much it will cost
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because I am not sure but in the five hundred dollars or more range it will be. Now, to implement

the solution people should look for information on where they can donate food, how to compost

food, or where they can find this particular fridge. For these three things there is only basic

training on how to compost food and on technology if needed. Although, for the donating part all

people need is a kind heart and like I said before time and effort.

On what scale should the solution be applied? The solution should be applied in our

everyday life and shared within our communites. Mainly beacuse who ever knows maybe within

the community there could be someone who takes all food every friday to a donation place. The

people in communities could even come up with better ideas as well such as: giving food to the

homless day or donation day and stuff like that. The good thing though is that donating food

takes like five minutes max and composting takes about 10 minutes. In reality, all you need is to

think about the outcomes and the great things you will be doing for others and yourself.

How would your solution be evaluated for effectiveness after it is implemented? My

solution would be evaluated on how much food one has wasted that month and on how many

times one donated food to those in need. Aslo on how if he or she composts it will help plants

flowers and even animals grow. Yet, there are other alternatives to reducing food waste besides

mine. Based on what I know so far the most affordable and easiest way to reduce food waste is to

just contribute with it a little by little and let others know as well. The solution proposed is

already taking place in many parts of the world are you going to be a part of it?

Final thoughts:

This research has taught me that many people only think about themselves and that

Americans waste almost half of all the food produce in the United States. It even taught me that

the research process may seem easy, but once you have to go into depth and find more sources,
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satistics, and try to put them all together its tough. Even when having to go into detail about food

waste and what soulution you have for it. Yet, it is important for people to know about food

waste because it is part of its own chain of events. For instance, if people reduce food waste than

pollution of methane gas stops, hunger is reduced, the amount of landfills lowers, and more food

is produced. Now, imagine saving our future children and generations the inhalation of a toxic

gas and the worrie about there not being food.

Finally, what are the larger implications to food waste? Personally the social implications

I believe there are include: people being greatful and people haveing less of a struggle to find

food. The historical implicatios are more of like the outcomes or what would happen in the

future so that I will leave out for now. Hopefully this inspired many people to want to take action

and support my idea of donating, composting the still edible food.

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References

Background Information. (n.d.). Retrieved April 10, 2018, from

https://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/koutavas3/background-information-2

Bloom, J. M. (2011). American wasteland: How America throws away nearly half of its food

(and what we can do about it). Cambridge: Da Capo Press.

Jensen, B. (2015, September 11). America's food waste problem is bigger than you think.

Retrieved from https://hub.jhu.edu/magazine/2015/fall/america-food-waste/

KUMMER, C. (2016). The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. New Republic, 247(4), 6-7

Nixon, R. (2015, February 25). Food Waste Is Becoming Serious Economic and Environmental
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Issue, Report Says. Retrieved from

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/26/us/food-waste-is-becoming-serious-economic-and-

environmental-issue-report-says.html

T. (2017, July 25). Retrieved April 23, 2018, from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFRz3HCEii0

Warshawsky, D. N. (2016). Food waste, sustainability, and the corporate sector: case study of a

US food company. Geographical Journal, 182(4), 384-394. doi: 10.1111/geoj.12156

M. Huang, personal communication, April 10, 2018