You have the power to change the world

in Eco News, World
Tagsagriculture, carbon footprint, CO2 emissions, environmental costs, food waste, population increase, reduce carbon emissions, waste management, Waste Management and Reduction, wholeseller waste

Apr 3

Start by preserving food !

Food waste is a global problem amounting to immense financial and environmental costs. If you operate a food truck or restaurant this waste can cut in your bottom line in a big way.

Annually,

the total value of food wasted globally is $1 trillion.
931 million tons of food were thrown away in 2019, while 690 million people are hungry.
about 30% – 40% of the food supply goes to waste.
75 billion cubic of water is used each year to produce fruits and vegetables that are lost
715 million hectares of land go to loss due to losses in meat and animal products.

These statistics can even go higher as the growing problem of food waste in America seems to have no end.

The effects of food waste can be felt not just financially. It’s not just a humanitarian or social concern. Environmentally, food waste also causes greenhouse gases. According to FAO, the carbon footprint caused by food waste is 3.3 billion tons of CO2 equivalent every year.

Food insecurity may increase in the coming years. Estimates indicate that the global population will increase from 7.7 billion today to 9.7 billion in 2050 . Furthermore, the growth is estimated to be as high as 2 billion people in less than 30 years (+/−25% of today’s population). This implies a considerable growth in the demand for food and represents a significant challenge for the agricultural sector especially when considering that the pressure for more food is not accompanied by a proportional expansion of the cultivable area. In addition, F&V are sensitive products that can suffer damage due to mishandling, leading to considerable losses . Commercialization and the seasonality of prices also represent aggravating difficulties in accessing them

Waste in the final miles of a food chain is a significant problem. Better management of transactions between farmers, and fruit and F&V distributors can mitigate part of this waste.A lower level of losses could help improve product quality, mitigate environmental damage , and reduce food prices.

“Please don’t waste food. Live simply, so that others may simply live.” – Anonymous