Work to eliminate food waste

What’s for dinner? You may have a meal planned for tonight. But do you have a plan for the leftovers? A new nationwide survey takes a look at the issue of food waste, and it doesn’t paint a pretty picture. The survey finds that Americans waste 130 billion pounds of food each year. That is about $160 billion dollars worth of food, wasted each year, just in the United States. The survey also finds about half of Americans are aware that food waste is a problem. Slightly more realize wasting food is bad for the environment. Food waste that ends up in landfills releases methane, which helps contribute to global warming. But the survey also finds more than 40% don’t have time to worry about it. There is some good news. Compared to prior surveys, the percentage of those recognizing this is an important issue is up. And some things are being done. Wal-Mart is beginning to sell bruised apples and other fruit at discounted prices. Previously, they would have been thrown away. And there are simple things you and I can do. Food waste can be reduced by cooking smaller portions. We can eat more leftovers, and compost food scraps. Or are you like the 40% in this survey who simply don’t have time to worry about it?