EcoAction Arlington

Solutions for a Sustainable Lifestyle

Food Waste: Why it Matters

image of a loaf of bread in a plastic bag with yellow tag with Best if Used. Every American wastes 290 pounds of food a year. Cook it, store it, share it. savethefood.com nrdc logo. image soure: NRDC
Source: NRDC bread image

According to EPA (and many other sources), approximately one-third of food produced in the United States is not eaten. Americans on average waste about 1 pound of food daily. Food loss and waste happens throughout the production, distribution and consumption food chain, but about 50 percent occurs during the consumption stage, particularly in our own homes. Fruits and vegetables account for 30 to 40 percent of wasted food, followed by  dairy and eggs.  Reasons for food waste are numerous but perceptions that food is past its prime based on poorly-understood use-by labels, uniformity standards that lead to tossing less than perfect produce, unplanned purchases, buying more than necessary, and poor storage practices are key contributors. 

Where our waste comes from: house icon 43% homes, hand holding serving platter icon, 40% restaurants, grocery stors, food service companies, wheat icon, 16% farms, factory icon, 2% manufacturers. image source: Food Waste in America 2024. RTS
Source: Food Waste in America 2023. RTS

Food waste has staggering implications for climate and the environment. Food waste contributes about 6 percent of US greenhouse gas emissions or the equivalent of 36 million passenger vehicles and more than 1,000 pounds per person annually. Additional impacts of food waste on important resources include:

  • About 2,000 kWh of energy per person and two percent of US energy consumption.
  • About 19,000 gallons of water per person annually
  • Wasted applications of fertilizers and pesticides that exacerbate water pollution caused by runoff from agriculture and contribute to harm to ecosystems and soil quality.
  • Sixteen percent of total US agricultural land 

Food waste has staggering implications for climate and the environment, contributing to about 6 percent of US greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and deforestation. 

Moreover, available estimates of GHG emission exclude the emissions and other environmental impacts of disposal. Food waste is the single most common material landfilled and incinerated in the U.S., comprising 24 and 22 percent of landfilled and combusted municipal solid waste, respectively. Arlington residents with curbside collection are able to divert this waste to composting to recycle waste to improve soil health. However, the GHG emissions, environmental impact of wasted resources from this food are not mitigated. Composting is important for best managing inedible food parts (rinds, seeds, bones, and other parts not normally eaten although many can be used) and some  inevitable food loss but is not a substitute for reducing food waste as much as possible.

Environmental impacts of U.S. food waste: what resources go into a year of food loos and waste in the U.S? *excluding impact of waste management, such as landfill methane emissions. EPA logo. small graphic of a power plant. Greenhouse gas emissions of more than 42 coal-fired power plants. small graphic of homes with plumbing and electricity icons. Enough water and energy to supply more than 50 million homes. small graphic of a bag of grains, corn, and peas. The amount of fertilizer used i the U.S. to grow all plant-based foods for U.S. human consumption. small graphic of cutout of California and New York. An area of agricultural land equal to California and New York. Learn more: www.epa.gov/land-research/farm-kitchen-environmental-impacts-us-food-waste

Food waste has important economic and social costs as well. The estimated cost of food waste is $300 billion per year in the United States with much of the burden falling on consumers. A family of four spends $1,500 per year on food that ends up being wasted. At the same time, up to one in ten Americans are food insecure and globally 800 million persons face food insecurity. With rising prices and extreme weather events disrupting agricultural production the cost of food waste for American families will only increase.   

Consequently, reducing food waste can address climate change, reduce pressure for deforestation, and  improve soil and water quality while helping to feed growing populations across the world. Project Drawdown lists reducing food waste as a top solution to reducing global carbon emissions, keeping in mind that moving on solutions across the board is necessary to prevent catastrophic climate change.  In the United States individuals can be the key driver in making progress.

We’re all guilty of wasting food. How do your habits stack up compared to the average American. Take the Food Waste Quiz.

Almost half of fruits and vegetables produced go to waste, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization

Key Sources

EPA, From Farm to Kitchen: The Environmental Impact of US Food Waste, November 2021

ReFED, What is Food Waste

Thirty percent of food produced in the US is not eaten  – NRDC bread image

Reducing your food waste saves money  – NRDC chicken == $$$ wasted

photo image of a package of chicken breasts with label: boneless skinless chicken breast, best if used. sku, total price $1,500.00. A family of four speands $1500 a year on food they don't eat. cook it, store it, share it. savethefood.com. nrdc logo

Wasted food = wasted water NRDC 1 egg = 55 gallons of water

image of an egg with the words best if used. stamped on it. Trashing one egg wastes 55 gallons of water. cook it, store it, share it. savethefood.com. NRDC logo.

Test your knowledge about the impact of food waste – take this WWF quiz

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EcoAction Arlington’s Food Waste Reduction Campaign 2024 was curated by the Advocacy committee and the R4 Action Group. This content also appeared in EcoAction Arlington’s monthly newsletter and The EcoAdvocate newsletter produced by the EcoAction Arlington Advocacy Committee.

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