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MINIMIZE THE FOOD WASTAGE
Kavya. S
I BCA II Semester
Govt. First Grade College, Tumkur
kavyas2283@gmail.com Ph.: 8088860137
The environmental cost of food wastage is staggering, which makes tackling it through specific actions an urgent priority, given that our planet has reached its environmental limits, as natural resources are becoming scarcer (Rockstrom, 2009). It is important to note that, while some waste reduction solutions are easy to implement without any additional cost to the environment (such as better planned meals), some others can induce important environmental impacts (such as refrigeration systems impact on GHG emissions) When considering the entire lifecycle of a food product, the Production phase has the largest Impact on natural resources. However, each phase has additional environmental impacts. This Means that the further along the supply chain a product is lost or wasted, the higher its environmental cost or impact. This implies that the further down one is in the supply chain (e.g.Consumption), the highest is the food wastage footprint. The discrepancy between demand and supply, a major cause of food wastage, ranges from farmers not finding a market for their products and leaving them rot in the field, to mothers cooking for five family members while only 3 actually show-up for dinner, to supermarkets downsizing product orders at the last minute, leaving producers with unsalable products Due to miss-communication and perverse signals and incentives all along the supply chain, food is lost or wasted and, together with it, all the natural resources used to create it.
These habits put extra strain on our natural resources and damage our environment. When we waste food, we waste the labor, effort, investment and precious resources (like water, seeds, feed, etc.) that go into producing it, not to mention the resources that go into transporting and processing it. In short, wasting food increases greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to climate change.
Supply chain efficiency could be greatly improved by enhancing communication among the different stakeholders. Remaining in constant dialogue with buyers not only helps agro-enterprises manage the risks they face when buying from smallholders, it also contributes to producer organizations’ understanding of buyers’ sourcing decisions (FAO, 2012). In addition to increasing business among the parties, sustained dialogue also helps reduce product rejection
Top 10 ways to reduce your food waste
- Store your bread in the freezer. ...
- Eat your leftovers. ...
- Keep bananas out of the fruit bowl. ...
- Store potatoes and onions away from each other. ...
- Plan your meals, make a list. ...
- If you can, shop more often. ...
- If in doubt, freeze your food. ...
- Don't peel your produce
Why do we avoid wastage of food?
We should avoid wastage of food because: Sufficient food is not available for everyone. Food is very costly and poor people cannot afford to buy even the minimum required amount of food.
How can we recycle food waste at home?
6 Environment-Friendly Ways to Recycle Food Waste
- Compost the Kitchen and Garden Scrap.
- Put Your Waste to Work.
- Creative Use of Leftovers.
- Donate Waste for Animal Feed.
- Convert Food Scrap into Biogas.
- Reuse the Food Packaging Material
What kind of food waste can be recycled?
Recycling food waste
Meat and fish - raw or cooked, including bones and skin. Fruit and vegetables - raw or cooked. All non-liquid dairy products. Eggs including shells
Here are 7 ways you can reduce food waste in your kitchen:
- Take an inventory. Take stock of your pantry, refrigerator and freezer before going to the store to prevent overbuying.
- Create a meal plan. ...
- Save and eat leftovers safely. ...
- Store food appropriately. ...
- Buy "ugly" foods. ...
- Compost. ...
- Use leftovers creatively.
