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Study examines food waste in America

A new study by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) says Americans are throwing away 40-percent of the food in the U.S. Looking at government data and recent “case studies”, the council says food waste is the single largest part of solid waste in the nation’s landfills; there’s been a 50 percent increase in U.S. food waste since the 1970s; and the average American family of four throws away more than $2000 worth of food a year.

The NRDC says the biggest loss is that of fresh produce from retail stores, with nearly half of the nationwide supply of fruits and vegetables going uneaten. Consumers and restaurants are blamed for uneaten leftovers and too-large portions.

The NRDC recommends businesses streamline their operations; the federal government conduct a study of food system losses and set goals for reducing food waste; and, consumers, among other things, eat their leftovers.

No matter how sustainable farming operations are, NRDC project scientist Dana Gunders says, if food is not being eaten “it is not a good use of resources.”