It’s very hard to grasp the gobsmacking, appalling enormity of our food waste. According to the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the UN, we squander at least 30% of what’s grown or harvested, and food waste accounts for about 8% of global carbon emissions (that’s nearly as high as global road transport emissions). Despite this apparent surplus, hundreds of millions go hungry every year; 820-million at last count.
Clearly the problem is not about volumes, but rather about a deeply flawed system. Vegetables and fruits are often the most wasted items, followed by milk (in countries where dairy is applicable). We have fridges and the milk is generally pasteurised, but still, it’s getting chucked. Industry waste is hard for us to hinder, but we really can reduce waste on the domestic front...
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