Federal agencies are funding campaigns to help Americans waste less food at home, aiming to cut the 35% of U.S. food that goes uneaten and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from landfills.
Lisa Held reports for Civil Eats.
In short:
- U.S. households account for 40% of food waste, leading to significant methane emissions from landfills.
- New USDA and EPA campaigns emphasize consumer education and economic incentives to encourage less food waste.
- Barriers include lack of effective messaging and confusing expiration date labels, which often cause unnecessary waste.
Key quote:
“I think the first step is having an honest look at what we’re really doing and then recognizing that, ‘You know what? Yeah, I’m wasting food. But I can do better, and I can save money..”
— Lesly Baesens, food waste czar of Denver.
Why this matters:
Food waste contributes to climate change through greenhouse gas emissions from production and decomposition. Reducing waste at home could save money for families while helping to meet national environmental goals.
