We all do it. Leftovers get pushed to the back of the fridge, a bag of spinach wilts before we even notice, or that half-eaten sandwich just doesn’t look appetizing anymore. But what happens to all that food once it’s tossed in the trash? The truth is, food waste is a much bigger problem than most of us realize—and it’s not just about wasted food. Food waste has a huge impact on the environment.
Want to do your part to help prevent food waste? Green Thumbs Recycling has your back. Located in San Tan, AZ, we’re a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to making the switch to composting easier. Give us a call at 480-613-7520 or connect with us on Facebook— we’d love to hear from you!
How Much Food Are We Actually Wasting?
First, let’s get a handle on the scope of the issue. Globally, it’s estimated that about one-third of all food produced is never eaten. That’s roughly 1.3 billion tons of food wasted each year. And in the United States alone, the average American throws away nearly 20 pounds of food per month, or around 240 pounds per year.
That’s a lot of food, but it’s also a lot of money. In the U.S., food waste costs roughly $218 billion every year, and the average American family loses about $1,500 worth of uneaten food annually. But the real cost of food waste goes beyond our wallets—it has a serious environmental impact.
Food Waste and Landfill Emissions
So, what happens when food goes to waste? For most of us, it heads straight to the landfill. Unlike in a compost pile, where food scraps decompose naturally with oxygen, food in a landfill breaks down anaerobically (without oxygen). This decomposition process produces methane gas, a greenhouse gas that’s 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
In fact, landfills are a major source of methane emissions, accounting for around 20% of all methane emissions in the United States. This means that food waste in landfills is actively contributing to climate change. If food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases globally, right behind China and the United States.
The Environmental Cost of Food Production
When we waste food, we’re not just wasting the item itself—we’re also wasting all the resources that went into producing it. Food production requires a significant amount of water, energy, and land. Here’s a look at just how much goes into bringing food to our plates:
- Water: Agriculture accounts for about 70% of the world’s freshwater usage. Growing, processing, and transporting food consumes a massive amount of water, and when food is wasted, so is the water it took to produce it. For example, it takes roughly 660 gallons of water to produce a single hamburger. So when a burger goes uneaten, all that water is essentially wasted.
- Land: Around 30% of the world’s agricultural land is used to produce food that ultimately goes to waste. When we waste food, we’re also wasting the land and natural ecosystems that were altered or destroyed to make way for farms and livestock.
- Energy: Farming, harvesting, processing, packaging, and transporting food require a lot of energy. In the United States, about 10% of the total energy supply is used just to produce food that eventually gets thrown away. This wasted energy contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and ultimately worsens climate change.
Biodiversity and Food Waste
Food waste doesn’t just harm the climate—it also affects biodiversity. When we clear forests or grasslands to create space for agriculture, we’re disrupting ecosystems and pushing animals out of their natural habitats. In some cases, species are driven to extinction. This biodiversity loss affects pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, which are essential for food production, creating a cycle that makes future food production even more difficult.
For instance, nearly 80% of global deforestation is linked to agriculture. So when we throw away food, we’re indirectly contributing to deforestation and loss of biodiversity, affecting plant, animal, and insect populations around the world.
Food Waste and Water Pollution
When food waste and agricultural runoff end up in our water systems, it contributes to water pollution. Excess nutrients from wasted food, fertilizers, and animal waste can lead to a process called eutrophication, which causes algae blooms in bodies of water. These blooms deplete oxygen levels, creating “dead zones” where fish and other aquatic life can’t survive. The Gulf of Mexico, for example, has a dead zone roughly the size of Connecticut due to agricultural runoff from wasted food and fertilizers.
Reducing Food Waste: What Can We Do?
It may feel overwhelming, but the good news is that reducing food waste is something we can all contribute to. Here are some easy ways to get started:
- Plan Your Meals: Avoid impulse buys and plan your meals around what you already have at home. When you shop with a plan, you’re less likely to end up with food you won’t eat.
- Store Food Properly: Learning how to store fruits, vegetables, and other perishables correctly can significantly extend their lifespan. For example, did you know that apples emit ethylene gas, which can make other fruits ripen faster? Keep them separate to avoid food spoiling prematurely.
- Use Your Freezer: Freezing food is an easy way to extend its life. Leftovers, bread, and even some fruits and vegetables freeze well, so they don’t end up in the trash.
- Embrace “Ugly” Produce: Not all fruits and veggies look perfect, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t tasty and nutritious. Consider buying produce that may look imperfect but is still perfectly good to eat.
- Compost Your Scraps: If you do end up with unavoidable waste, composting is a great way to keep it out of the landfill. Composting returns nutrients to the soil, reduces methane emissions, and helps make your garden healthier.
The Bigger Picture: Changing Our Perspective on Food
Addressing food waste starts with changing our perspective on food and recognizing it as a valuable resource rather than something disposable. When we consider the environmental impact of our food choices, we’re taking an important step toward a more sustainable future. Cutting back on food waste is one of the simplest, most impactful ways we can all make a difference.
Imagine a world where we all took small steps to reduce our food waste. We’d see less food rotting in landfills, lower greenhouse gas emissions, fewer ecosystems harmed, and more resources saved. So next time you’re cleaning out the fridge, remember: food is too valuable to waste. A little mindfulness about what we eat and what we discard can go a long way in protecting our planet.
