Imagine living paycheck to paycheck, never knowing whether you are going to have enough money to buy enough food to get by. Now imagine not even living paycheck to paycheck, rather living day by day not knowing which of your family members, friends, or even yourself will make it to the next day. Countless people in this world face this devastating fear every day of their life due to their lack of food. This lack of food has been caused by high prices of food and high demand of food, both of which add to a low availability of food for those who cannot afford the necessities. Meanwhile, high society throws out good food every day simply because it is unwanted, wasting all of this food that is still perfectly edible and would be relished by someone who really needs it. Not only does this waste of food prevent the starvation of people across the globe, but it also is causing harmful effects on this ever-depleting environment. By saving and recycling usable and edible food, not only are lives being saved but also the environment is being pushed in a positive direction. One of the main contributors to this waste of food is restaurants. In order to hold restaurants accountable for their waste and to provide healthy and quality meals for the local homeless, a system needs to be in place that encourages eateries to use their surplus to feed the poor, or to pay a fine for unnecessary waste.
Restaurants must not waste valuable food and money by throwing away perfectly good food, and many eateries realize this. Incentives to stop the waste of food have been established by numerous restaurants, however many awful tactics actually give people reasons to eat more food than what is necessary which will increase the obesity level and not...
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The majority of people waste food on a daily basis. In fact, in the U.S. alone there is an estimate that over half of the food produced goes uneaten; meanwhile there are people who are in need of food, and it ultimately goes to waste (Dockterman). For example, in his essay, “On Dumpster Diving,” author Lars Eighner writes about his experiences of dumpster diving with his pet dog, during his years of homelessness. According to Eighner, much of the food and materials he came across in the dumpsters were in usable shape, and many items were new. Clearly there needs to be a change in American food waste, in current and, hopefully not so much in, future generations. In order to bring about change in this misuse of food, Americans need to be conscious
The article “Don’t Blame the Eater” by David Zinczenko, is an article aimed to bring attention to the ever increasing obesity rates in the United States, which he believes has been caused be the ever increasing amount of fast food restaurants in the United States.
“Today, more than 95% of all chronic disease is caused by food choice, toxic food ingredients, nutritional deficiencies and lack of physical exercise” Mike Adams (1967- present). People tend to believe our obesity epidemic is due to our high-calorie fast food restaurants. They are quick to blame others for their own mistakes and their willingness to change their eating habits. Fast food restaurants are not to blame for our obesity problem in our society but as a consumer, we are making that ultimate choice. We need to stop and think about what we are putting in our bodies and what they are doing to us. Yes, it’s true, it’s easier to find a McDonalds than a fruit or vegetable stand, but why not choose the salad with half the dressing at McDonalds
One out of every three Americans is obese and the majority of these obese people in the United States have eaten regularly at fast food restaurants. As the obesity rate increases, the number of fast food restaurants goes up as well. Although it is not certain, many believe that obesity in the United States is correlated to eating fast food. Since the United States has the highest obesity rate out of any country, it is important for Americans to monitor the fast food industry that may be causing obesity. With the pressure to get things done in a timely manner, fast food became a big necessity. However, when creating fast food restaurants, the industries were not thinking about the negative effects such as obesity. Other than obesity, other harmful effects exist as well. Fast food restaurants serve unhealthy products such as greasy foods and artificial meat that lead to dietary health issues in many adults and children. A recent study showed that “Young children who are fed processed, nutrient-poor foods are likely to become unhealthy teenagers, and eventually unhealthy adults. Now twenty-three percent of teens in the U.S. are pre-diabetic or diabetic, 22% have high or borderline high LDL cholesterol levels, and 14% have hypertension or prehypertension” (May, Kuklina, Yoon). The food that they provide is made to be eaten quickly, causing problems for the digestive system. Also, the health problems lead to the use for health insurance, which adds to the costs of Medicare. Health care costs will only worsen an already failing economy. Therefore, the government should regulate fast food restaurants in the United States in order to repair the deteriorating health and economy in America.
Obesity is growing rapidly, therefore we must take action while we can. Portion sizes are becoming more and more immense. A Facts on File Article titled “Diet, Nutrition, and Wellness” discussed the growing problems caused by obesity. From going to McDonalds and getting a happy meal to going to subway and getting a footlong sub. Either way, it is changing our diets to eat more than we need which eventually, adds on a couple pounds (Diet). People who go to restaurants on a daily basis end up eating about one thousand calories a meal more than someone at some would (Diet). When most people go out to eat, even at a fancier restaurant, they are not worrying about how many calories their meal is, they are ordering whatever sounds good to them (Diet). Every now and then, that is okay bu...
The obesity in Americans today is a growing problem that affects more than half of the population. It’s a problem that needs to be looked in to and changed. No one would disagree that obesity commonly in children is not a problem. Though, the cause of childhood obesity is arguable, many people claim that fast-food restaurants are to blame. I argue that fast-food restaurants are not to blame for Americans being obese. If anyone is to blame it should be the consumer themselves.
“For someone not to know that a big mac is unhealthy is ignorance, and ignorance is not the responsibility of the fast food industry,” (Daniel Speiser). The amount of fast food joints has largely increased which has become a problem for many people throughout the United States. Several people place the blame for the rising obesity among children on the rising fast food industries due to its convenience, price, advertising, and somewhat un-nutritional content. Some people even take it as far as court to place blame on the fast food industries and for those industries to make changes to their restaurants. The high percentage of obese children in the United States is not caused by the fast food industry. The obesity epidemic has other outside influences, the fast food industries have changed dramatically, and people should take responsibility for their own consumptions. It is time for people to stop placing the blame on others and take responsibility for themselves and their actions.
The rise and success of the fast food industry has a positive correlation with the rising levels of obesity. Although correlation does not necessarily mean causation, it is hard to believe the fast food industry is not a source of the problem. With its affordable meals and cunning advertisements, the fast food industry appeals to all ages, saving mom and dad money...
As many people are trying to put the blame of obesity on restaurants, others, like myself, have a strong opinion that the restaurants have nothing to do with obesity and the customer has the right to order what they would like. Some supporters believe that government should take action to...
Even in the developing countries, they are losing an enormous amount of food in the landfill which will help them solve their starvation problem. In Canada, we are wasting about “$31 billion” worth of food annually (Chavich). The food produced on the planet is enough reported by The Food and the Agriculture Organization of UN “to feed the 795 million people who go hungry…” (Chapman 2). The organization also said that since the population is growing rapidly each year “reducing waste will be key to feeding 9 billion people” that will grow by “2050” (Chapman 2). Canadians need to wake up and start taking steps to solve this problem. Each person’s effort count. In Canada, food waste is happening at every level of food supply chain. The food waste is increasing rapidly. The reasons are farmers, supermarkets, and
It has become common today to dismiss the topic of obesity due to the fast food diets. In discussions about obesity, one controversial issue has been the effect fast food restaurants have on health. Many people today do not want to realize how badly fast food affects the human body. They also do not want to accept the fact that obesity has become such a major problem in today’s world. “Today, one in three adults is considered clinically obese, along with one in five kids, and 24 million Americans are afflicted by type 2 diabetes, often caused by poor diet”(Moss 477). On the other hand, companies president 's argue that it’s not their fault that people are becoming obese and developing other health issues due to their products. These companies
Fast-food restaurants seem to take most of the blame for rising obesity rates in the United States, but is it really their fault? People set high expectations when it comes to fast-food. Consumers not only expect convenience, but also quality food at a low price. Wanting fast-food restaurants to live up to these unreasonable expectations is what leads people to develop health issues. While fast-food restaurants should take some of the blame for the obesity epidemic, it’s ultimately the consumer’s choice to choose fast-food over healthier choices. Many different factors such as convenience, cost, and environmental factors, along with lack of exercise, are also contributors to the rising obesity rate in America.
In regards to the way food companies are regulated, the government must begin to actively attempt to regulate food production and ensure that companies attempt to donate food that they can no longer sell because it is past its expiration date. The Good Samaritan Act of 1997 states that no company can be sued if they donate a product to a food pantry that is past its expiration date, yet companies continue to throw millions of tons of food away every year. This would allow for the practices of freeganism to begin to impact a larger population because food pantries are less stigmatized than dumpster diving. Additionally, a change must occur in the way that the American public views food and how they make decisions. In order to make food access more uniform and to reduce senseless waste, a dramatic shift must occur. Society must move away from the acceptance of excessive waste, both on the level of the consumer and on the level of the company, and work to redistribute food in order to ensure that everyone is food
Since the beginning of this great country we call the United States of America, food has been a huge part of our culture. Whether it’s at family gatherings or you’re out on the town with your friends, food always seems to be the focal point of the activity. It’s no secret that Americans love their food, but do we love it too much? Obesity has been a major issue that our country has faced in the last few years. Whether it’s children or adults, obesity can affect everyone. The question is, are fast food restaurants and junk food the cause of this problem? People tend to blame restaurants like McDonald’s and Taco Bell for their unhealthy menu options, but they don’t dig any deeper into the problem. To most, they turn a blind eye to the other
Obesity is a big social issue in America. Due to the popularity of fast food and other unhealthy foods, more and more Americans are developing health diseases and disorders. We should be getting the correct daily nutrition amount, but because of our fast paced lifestyles we sometimes do not have enough time. Fast food restaurants make it possible to grab a meal and go. We often do not pay attention to the nutrition amount, but are simply looking for a quick bite to eat that will fulfill our hunger. Fast food is assisting in the increase of obesity in America (“Phrase” par.2).