Food waste

According to the UN there are 842 million people which are starving. This are approximately 12% oft he worlds population and nearly every eight person. The worst of all is, these people are starving even though there is more than enough food produced for everyone on this planet!

Food waste has various effects on the environment:

• Food losses have a negative impact on the climate

• Every food waste is associated with a high consumption of energy, water and other raw materials in the chain from cultivation to trade

• Food losses increase the demand for raw materials

The chain of errors starts with the production of the food and ends with the consumer. To understand how we can minimize food waste, we first need to understand where the waste is produced.

• In agriculture; products which are not marketable because they vary in shape, color or size or achieve lower prices on the markets

• Wrong storage and transport of sensitive food

• Consumers buy too much or also store food wrong

• Overproduction is destroyed at the manufacturer

• The trade is responsible for the disposal of foodstuffs just before the expiry date

• In canteens, buffet rests have to be disposed of for hygienic reasons

• Normally bakeries do not offer bread from the day before, but throw it away,

What can you do to minimize food waste?

At home

• Check your fridge and storage before you buy new stuff

• Be creative with cooking recipes and include old foodstuff in it

• Do you have fruits or vegetables which have a dint, use it quickly so it does not mold

• If you have any leftover, freeze it

At the market

• Do not buy too much of easily perishable food like bread, fruits or vegetables

• Look for promotions and price reductions for food which date of expiry is soon, so you also safe some money

• Let your supermarket know that you also like to buy regional foodstuff, that it does not matter which colour or size the products have and it is not fatal to have a smaller bread or fresh foodstuff variety before closing time

If many people change their behaviour like this then we could achieve a big effect and contribute to a better future for people and environment.

References:

Katharina Serafimova WWF, guest lecture 10.03.2017

http://www.welthungerhilfe.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Mitmachen/Aktionen/FOOD_RIGHT_NOW/Es-ist-genug-fuer-alle-da-FoodRightNow-Broschuere-welthungerhilfe2014.pdf

https://www.verbraucherzentrale.de/lebensmittelverschwendung

http://foodwaste.ch/was-ist-food-waste/

https://www.jungegruene.ch/medienmitteilung/356

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/453245149977177791/