Environmental Issues: Causes and Consequences of Food Waste

Our world is full of food waste and ultimately everyone is at fault. This is an ongoing task that is being performed by many individuals, and it is creating a worldwide issue that is present in all areas of the food industry. However, in the article entitled “The State of America’s Wasted Food and Opportunities to Make a Difference,” Chris Vogliano, a licensed and registered dietician, and Katie Brown, a licensed and registered dietician nutritionist, explain that in today’s world food waste is more common than it has ever been. They mention that an American “throws away 50% more food today than in 1970” (Vogliano & Brown, 2016, p. 1199). The reason for this is due to population growth and the demand for food. It may seem that consumers are highly blamed for this issue, but food waste is present in many stages starting with agriculture, where the production takes place. There are many elements at the agricultural level that contribute to food waste, including environmental conditions, overproduction, and appearance standards.

Causes and Effects of Food Waste on the Environment

Environmental issues such as climate change are negatively affecting the production of crops. This is a major issue for farmers because it goes beyond what they can control (Vogliano & Brown, 2016, p. 1199). In some cases, high temperatures can prevent a crop from growing. For example, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the “high nighttime temperatures in 2010 and 2012 affected corn fields across the U.S. Corn Belt, and premature budding due to a warm winter caused $220 million in losses of Michigan cherries” (“Climate Impacts on Agriculture and Food Supply,” n.d.). The result of this was the large sums of corn and berries that were lost during the production process. Eventually, most of those crops had to be discarded because they were no longer consumable. Also, due to these warm temperatures, “U.S. farmers spend more than $11 billion per year to fight weeds, which compete with crops for light and water” (“Climate Impacts on,” n.d.). These weeds thrive during high temperatures, absorbing all the essential nutrients (such as sunlight and water) that any plant needs to bloom. This means that if crops are not provided with the essential nutrients from the environment, they will no longer be useful, forcing farmers to discard any products defeated by the weeds. Dr. Iain Lake, Dr. Asmaa Abdelhamid, and Dr. Lee Hooper from the University of East Anglia, who studied environmental sciences, discuss that climate change can cause contamination in major crops. This is problematic because pathogens (bacteria) and mycotoxins (fungi) are likely to appear, necessitating the removal of such products to landfills (Abdelhamid et al., 2014, p. 8). As a result, this contributes to the high levels of food waste occurring in the U.S. and around the globe.

Overproduction and Its Impact

The overproduction of crops is another issue that farmers must contend with. Predicting the demand for goods has always been challenging for farmers because they are unsure of exactly how much of each crop is needed. A study focusing on the causes and ways to prevent food waste by Jenny Gustavsson, Christel Cederberg, Ulf Sonesson from the Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology, and Robert Van Otterdijk and Alexandre Meybeck from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, highlights this issue (Gustavsson et al., 2011). These researchers suggest that “in order to ensure delivery of agreed quantities… farmers sometimes make production plans on the safe side, and end up producing larger quantities than needed” (Gustavsson et al., 2011, p. 10). However, these farmers often overlook the fact that being on the “safe side” is ultimately leading to more food waste, something we are trying to avoid (Gustavsson et al., 2011, p. 10). As a result, farmers are left with large amounts of surplus and must decide what to do with the leftovers. Some donate the excess goods to individuals who will use them to feed their animals (Vogliano & Brown, 2016, p. 1201). However, the majority is disposed of because it is not consumable for livestock or useful in any other way (Vogliano & Brown, 2016, p. 1201). To demonstrate how much overplanting is occurring, let’s consider Italy as an example. In the grains category, Italy has an estimated surplus of “40%,” vegetables are “54%,” fruits are “50%,” alcoholic drinks are “55%,” meat items are “54%,” and fish items are “33%” (“Food Waste: Causes,” 2007, p. 32). Between 2005-2006, Italy had a surplus of 286%. This significant overproduction occurred in just one country, though other places in the world have higher or lower surplus percentages.

Appearance Standards and Their Role in Waste

The appearance of a certain product is crucial for both retailers and consumers. Farmers are therefore obligated to separate goods into categories: good condition, average, and bad condition. Each fruit or vegetable is judged based on its color, size, weight, and shape (Gustavsson et al., 2011, p. 11). This process, known as “culling,” can remove “10% to 40% of a product before it reaches the retail sector” (Vogliano & Brown, 2016, p. 1200). This represents a significant percentage of goods discriminated against for not meeting perfect standards. An example of this was observed by Tristram Stuart, who visited several British farms, including M.H. Poskitt carrots in Yorkshire (Gustavsson et al., 2011, p. 10). He learned that Asda, a supermarket, wanted all carrots to have a presentable appearance to attract consumers. Consequently, “25-30% of all carrots… were out-graded” due to size, shape, and imperfections (Gustavsson et al., 2011, p. 10). It is evident that “ugly” produce will always be rejected, while perfectly looking goods are preferred, despite tasting exactly the same.

Potential Solutions to Food Waste

Although food waste is a very complex issue, there are potential solutions to help reduce it. For example, Rick Stroecken, a student planning to complete his master’s in the food waste supply chain, explains that educating farmers “about their crops and their harvesting techniques” is indeed helpful (Stroecken, 2014, p. 26). Some farmers are unaware of when they should plant their crops and the effects of planting them at the wrong time. Therefore, they must gain knowledge about “the biological and environmental factors involved in postharvest deterioration” (Stroecken, 2014, p. 26). For these farmers, being well-informed is key because it aids the production process, helping them estimate the number of crops they must plant while avoiding overproduction. Additionally, another solution involves farms working together as a group instead of competing. This means that if one farm lacks crops, another farm with a surplus will provide the items they most likely need (Gustavsson et al., 2011, p. 10). These solutions can help minimize global food waste, though they won’t eliminate the issue entirely.

Conclusion

The world is full of many problematic issues, with food waste certainly at the top of the list. This issue forms a cycle beginning at the agricultural level and ending with consumers. The starting and ending points both determine how future generations will be affected, depending on the amount of food waste produced. The future lies in our hands, so what will you do to avoid contributing to this issue?

References

• Abdelhamid, A., Lake, I., & Hooper, L. (2014). Climate Change and Food Safety. University of East Anglia.
• “Climate Impacts on Agriculture and Food Supply.” Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved from [insert URL].
• Gustavsson, J., Cederberg, C., Sonesson, U., Van Otterdijk, R., & Meybeck, A. (2011). Global Food Losses and Food Waste: Extent, Causes and Prevention. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
• “Food Waste: Causes.” (2007). Food and Agriculture Organization. Retrieved from [insert URL].
• Stroecken, R. (2014). Tackling Food Waste. [Insert publication or institution].
• Vogliano, C., & Brown, K. (2016). The State of America’s Wasted Food and Opportunities to Make a Difference. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(7), 1199-1203.