Food waste has become a growing concern because of the environmental toll of production, including the land required to raise crops and animals, and the greenhouse gas emissions produced along the way. Select stories from the Monitor that empower and uplift. The Christian Science Monitor has expired. In richer countries, people might eat out more, meaning food waste is simply shifted from the home to restaurants. By improving measurements, researchers hope to find solutions. When considering the sustainability of food there are many other factors at play. 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If you miss the live report, youâll be able to see a replay minutes after the stream ends. A weekly digest of Monitor views and insightful commentary on major events. Instead of finishing your leftovers, you let them go bad and buy takeout. We want to hear, did we miss an angle we should have covered? The waste is far more than previous reports had indicated, though direct comparisons are difficult because of differing methodologies and the lack of strong data from many countries. you are agreeing to our, One month free trial to the Monitor Daily, Cuomo, Democrats, and the politics of personal conduct, One diet fad scientists hope will catch on: climate-friendly eating, UN climate report says habit changes can prevent a hungry future. You can renew your subscription or Stuntman Hunter Ray Barker is wearing a T-shirt and mask with the Los Toros restaurant logo which features three bulls, and getting his arm tattooed with the image during the marathon. If you have questions about your account, please Toxins from E-Waste Can End Up In Our Food. Most of the waste â or 61% â happens in households, while food service accounts for 26% and retailers account for 13%, the U.N. found. Ad Council does not provide direct access to web banner or video files. âImproved measurement can lead to improved management,â said Brian Roe, a food waste researcher at Ohio State University who was not involved in the report. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that a family of four wastes about $1,500 in food each year. © 1998 - 2021 Nexstar Inc. | All Rights Reserved. We believe news can and should expand a sense of identity and possibility beyond narrow conventional expectations. Richard Swannell, a co-author of the U.N. report, said food was generally more valued even in richer countries just a few generations ago, since people often couldnât afford to waste it. Know your food dates â the Use By date is a health & ⦠Stay informed about the latest scientific discoveries & breakthroughs. We want to bridge divides to reach everyone. Students discard food at the end of their lunch period as part of a lunch waste composting program at an elementary school in Connecticut, Jan. 15, 2020. (Reuters) - When your favorite Mexican restaurant is struggling to stay alive, what else would you do but sit in a pool of bean dip outside for 24 hours to attract diners? The team at Enterra Corp. is more than up to the challenge. Change partners often and share your findings. improve functionality and performance. As do health considerations and social and economic impact. A selection of the most viewed stories this week on the Monitor's website. Food waste is a huge issue in America â 40% of all food goes uneaten and it's a problem that starts long before you get to the dining-room table. For example, Mr. Barrett said, people might throw away food because of a date on the product â even though such dates donât always say when a food is unsafe to eat. They plan to use that facility to convert the dirty water into drinkable water using nothing but renewable energy. The U.N. is pushing to reduce food waste globally, and researchers are also working on an assessment of waste that includes the food lost before reaching consumers. Experts say improved waste tracking is key to finding ways to ease the problem, such as programs to divert inedible scraps to use as animal feed or fertilizer. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Assets will be supplied as 3rd party DoubleClick tags, and are for serving within the United States only. The five most recent Christian Science articles with a spiritual perspective. unless you renew or Itâs a familiar routine for many â and indicative of habits that contribute to a global food waste problem that a new United Nations report says needs to be better measured so that it can be effectively addressed. Your subscription to âFood waste is a consequence of sensible decisions by people acting on the best information available,â he said. Our work isn't possible without your support. /Public Release. âMany countries havenât yet quantified their food waste, so they donât understand the scale of the problem,â said Clementine OâConnor, of the U.N. They note that labels like âSell Byâ, âBest Byâ and âEnjoy Byâ could cause people to throw out food prematurely, even though some labels are intended only to indicate when quality might decline. Mr. Roe said cultural norms and policies also could contribute to waste at home â such as massive packaging, âbuy one, get one freeâ deals, or lack of composting programs. To clarify the meaning of labeling dates, U.S. regulators have urged food makers to be more consistent in using them. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. The U.N. report estimates 17% of the food produced globally each year is wasted. We log out. contact customer service Food Smart is a Love Food Hate Waste Program coordinated by North East Waste on behalf of council and the NSW Waste Less Recycle More initiative funded by the waste levy. Now, he said, awareness about the scale of food waste globally could help shift attitudes back to that era. âFood is too important to waste,â he said.