With the biggest meal of the year a mere two weeks away, here's something to keep in mind: reducing food waste. The British government has just released a new report that reveals each year, the country throws away more than $20 billion in consumable food and drink.
According to the Waste and Resources Action Program (WRAP), the UK's food waste is topping 6.6 million tons annually. By tossing less, consumers could prevent food from being directed to landfill sites — an act that would prevent 15 million tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions yearly. (Once it becomes landfill, food produces methane, another potent greenhouse gas.) WRAP aims to reduce waste by 250,000 tons by March 2011.
I can only imagine what the results of a food waste study would be in the United States. Hopefully, this is an initiative that our administration is looking into — although the first step is definitely consumer awareness. How mindful are you of not wasting food?
