Written by: Aryan Bharucha
Edited by: Avah Manu
Designed by: Kiya Tavascis
Published by: Rayna Almas
The image that comes to mind when people think about food waste is usually scraps of food thrown out when they could have been used. In the end, the reality is much worse than regular household habits. Every single year, 60% of the food produced in Canada is either lost or wasted. It’s a problem that is severely impacting our Earth every minute, but it’s also an issue which can be solved if enough effort is contributed by all people in Canada.
Why is Food in Canada Wasted?
The idea of wasting food goes much deeper than most imagine. Food is wasted at nearly every step of the way, and some are easily preventable through simple solutions. The first is on farms, where crops may be left unharvested if they don’t meet standards.
Food can also be spoiled during transportation and usually ends up in landfills. Grocery stores get rid of expired products, and this happens more than usual. Last but not least is at home, where more than $1,300 of food is thrown away every single year in an average Canadian household.
How Food Waste is Impacting Us
Wasted food has environmental, economic, and a societal impact on the Earth as a whole. The food which ends up in landfills produces methane, a very harmful greenhouse gas which contributes to climate change. Canada also loses around $49 billion dollars annually due to food waste, and while all this food is going to waste, around 50 million Canadians struggle to find enough food.
How Can We Help?
By changing small little habits, we can make a big change in how much food goes to waste:
- Plan your meals out – This way there extra food being bought which could go to waste
- Know your expiry dates – This can prevent so much food from being thrown out!
- Store the food properly – Sometimes not properly storing the food leaves it to go bad, so take the time to know where your food belongs!
- Use your leftovers – Get creative and make something out of your scraps!
Resources
- Second Harvest – The Avoidable Crisis of Food Waste: Update
- https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/managing-reducing-waste/food-loss-waste.html
- https://lovefoodhatewaste.ca/about/food-waste/?
Image Credit
- https://www.ivey.uwo.ca/impact/read/2024/07/taking-a-bite-out-of-food-waste/
- https://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/story/28013/how-to-stop-wasting-food-in-2020-a-comprehensive-guide/
- https://ppcflex.com/blog/how-the-right-packaging-solution-can-help-cut-down-on-food-waste/
- https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/blog/food-waste-and-its-links-greenhouse-gases-and-climate-change