Thanksgiving reminder: Waste not, want not

Leading up to Thanksgiving, reminders are everywhere to give to those in need. As we strive to make sure everyone gets a figurative and literal piece of the pie, it is striking to recognize that there are ways we can increase the size of the pie as well. According to a study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an estimated 30-40% of our food is wasted, equivalent to $166 billion each year. Imagine how many more meals there would be to go around if it weren’t for this waste. And think of the reduction in your grocery bill!
Sadly, America’s food waste starts in our fields. After using land, water, labor, and other inputs to grow crops, some of the crop gets left in the field. Among other reasons, this may be due to damage from weather, pests, or disease, or it could be because the produce will not be cosmetically appealing to consumers. Crops can also be abandoned in the field when the quality and/or quantity of the crop is so poor it would cost more to harvest the crop than it is worth. Local examples of this are cherries left on the tree after ill-timed rains and green beans left in the fields because there aren’t enough pickers to harvest them.
Additional losses occur after crops are harvested, as they are transported from the fields, cooled, packed, and trucked to retail outlets and restaurants. There are many opportunities to reduce waste at grocery stores and restaurants, but let’s move on to the consumer level.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the agency responsible for supporting farmers, school lunch programs, and SNAP (food stamps), Americans toss an estimated 20 pounds of food each month, which amounts to over $1,500 per year for a family of four. Much of this waste is avoidable. Some practical tips for reducing food waste at home or while eating out include reducing over-purchasing and ensuring appropriate serving sizes. Remember the old adage, “take what you will eat and eat what you take”. This helps reduce leftovers that aren’t eaten in time. Another good option is to reuse left over foods such as turning rice into fried rice or making very ripe fruits into jam or pie.
There are things we can do to put this waste to good use, like breaking food scraps down to provide methane gas for energy use, as is being developed in San Jose, or the composting facilities run by Recology on Highway 152 and Z-Best on Highway 25. But the best option is to prevent waste from happening in the first place.
This Thanksgiving and throughout the year, let’s all help keep our grocery bills down, reduce methane gas from food in landfills, and conserve the precious resources used to grow our food. The United Nations estimates world population will balloon to 9 billion by 2050, so many lives in the U.S. and around the world depend on our ability to make better use of our food. Enjoy a great meal this Thursday and have a Happy Thanksgiving!