Behavior Change for Climate Change, Post #2: Take a Bite Out of Food Waste

Photo by Michael Piazza

In this series of climate-focused posts, we’ll dig a little deeper into how behavior change—as both eaters and consumers—can help move the needle when adapting to a changing climate.

Before you make an impulse buy of those sexy-looking greens at the farmers market, think about when and how you’ll put them to use. If you’re about to toss that slightly soft squash, figure out how you might cook and eat it instead. And before throwing those slimy carrots into the trash, consider setting up a simple composting system, even if you live in an urban area. 

These are all ways to cut down on food waste at the consumer-end of the supply chain. Food waste is a growing problem—globally, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), one-third of all food produced doesn’t get eaten. The economic impact is over $900 billion, and food waste is also responsible for 8% of human-caused emissions.

In a world where millions of people don’t have enough to eat, and natural resources (the land and water used to grow the food) are not in a position to be wasted, we need to step up our efforts to curb this problem. 

And while addressing climate change from a consumer perspective can feel overwhelming, consumers have a big part to play in addressing food waste. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), consumers are the largest single source of wasted food, so by changing our habits and building new ones, we can make a dent in this issue—and save our households some money at the same time. 

Here’s how to start

Make a (Realistic) Plan: You can’t waste what you don’t buy. To that end, before you head to the grocery store, block a little time to make a grocery and meal plan; it doesn’t need to be super detailed, just a loose idea of what you’ll eat over the next few days. Take a quick survey of what you already have that needs using up. Use those ingredients as the jumping off point for brainstorming a handful of simple meals (and be sure to include some building blocks in there, like a pot of grains, beans or a batch of roasted veggies). Then, make your list—and stick to it once you get to the store. 

Build a Practice of Preserving: You don’t have to pull out the water bath canner or the food dehydrator to extend food’s lifespan. Start by storing fresh food properly. Rinse and dry herbs and greens, then wrap them in a paper towel or tea towel and tuck them into a cloth or plastic bag. Make quick pickles with veggies that need using up. And embrace the freezer: You can freeze soups and stews, blanched vegetables, cooked grains, chicken bones, vegetable trimmings for flavorful stocks, cookie dough, and more, all to be used later when you really need them. 

Get Creative: Not sure what to do with those wilted scallions? Throw them into a frittata with that lonely nub of goat cheese and see what happens. Crisper full of dented apples? Make applesauce—and grate in some of that ginger that’s been wallowing in the back of the fridge. Potatoes sprouting “eyes”? Trim them off and make some soup with the greens you froze last week (or cut the spuds into pieces, one “eye” per piece, and plant them in soil in the spring; in 10 to 12 weeks you’ll have a whole new set of potatoes!). One benefit of being on a mission to cut food waste is that you become a more intuitive and creative cook. 

The United Nations has recently set a goal of reducing food waste globally by 50% which calls for changing practices along the supply chain. From policy makers to farmers, distributors, grocers and consumers, aggressive measures need to be taken to ensure a functional and efficient food system that feeds all people and has a smaller emissions footprint. Our role as eaters is to nudge policy and markets with our words and our actions, and to put it into action at home. 

Leigh’s climate-themed series will appear as online exclusives during the fall of 2019, culminating in an entire issue dedicated to the subject in February 2020. Sign up for our e-newsletters to be notified when each installment goes live.