In the United States alone there are plenty of resources needed for food production, it is worth our duty to make sure that food goes to good use and we don’t lose any food before it makes it to our plates. Our nation’s agricultural production accounts for 80 percent of consumed water use and more than half of all land use. (what is it) It releases hundreds of millions of pounds of pesticides into the environment each year and is the leading cause of water quality impairment in the nation’s rivers and streams. It is also the largest distributer of nitrous oxide and methane, two powerful greenhouse gases. Losses in our food system occur throughout the supply chain. Food gets lost on farms during processing, distribution, and storage, in retail stores and food service operations and in households for a variety of reasons at each stage. However, the significant disorganization of the food system has received no attention up until today, resulting in a major shortage of data that might illuminate key influencers of the problem or possible solutions. The most widespread report on food loss in the United States was issued by the U.S. …show more content…
All of us who dine out have internally debated the pros and cons of doggy-bagging leftovers, and the majority of Americans share the guilty experience of ordering the waiter to take the extra food away, knowing it was destined for the dumpster. As Americans, we frequently seek out establishments that offer more for our money, as well as enjoying the abundance of buffets and cafeteria-style eating, all of which innately generate large amounts of food waste. The United States also cultivates a thriving fast food industry, and the consequences of producing cheap, ready-to-go food are careless food waste policies. According to a 2005 study at the University of Arizona, food waste as a percentage of the total food used is 9.55% in
Our current system of corporate-dominated, industrial-style farming might not resemble the old-fashioned farms of yore, but the modern method of raising food has been a surprisingly long time in the making. That's one of the astonishing revelations found in Christopher D. Cook's "Diet for a Dead Planet: Big Business and the Coming Food Crisis" (2004, 2006, The New Press), which explores in great detail the often unappealing, yet largely unseen, underbelly of today's food production and processing machine. While some of the material will be familiar to those who've read Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma" or Eric Schlosser's "Fast-Food Nation," Cook's work provides many new insights for anyone who's concerned about how and what we eat,
If given the option of a quick and easy full meal for under five dollars, who would choose the equally expensive bag of kale at the same price? The documentary “Food Inc.”, produced by famous author Eric Schlosser, contains many questionable claims portraying the food industry as deliberately nefarious. However, it also highlights many valid reasons to support these assertions. Schlosser justly argues that “the biggest predictor of obesity in America is income level”. The affordability of a processed, fast food meal offered at popular fast food chains usually equates to a nominal serving of a healthy, balanced food. Restaurants such as McDonalds and Taco Bell offer an array of highly processed menu items
Canadians waste $31 billion of food every year, 47% wasted in the home*. The primary contributor to consumer food waste is high expectations—demand for high-quality, aesthetically-pleasing food is a key factor behind the volume of food waste occurring among consumers.* In North America, over 30 percent of fruits and vegetables are rejected by supermarkets because they aren 't attractive enough for consumers. (*According to the Cut Waste, Grow Profit 2014 report.)
Food, Inc.. Dir. Robert Kenner. Perf. Eric Schlosser. Magnolia Home Entertainment, 2008. Film. Kallen, Stuart A.. Is factory farming harming America? . Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Print.
In Lester R. Brown's novel Full Planet, Empty Plates, the issue of food scarcity is explained through an environmental perspective. He begins the novel by addressing the issue of the world's high demand for crops, such as grain, and the stress it places on farmers to keep up with the increase in demand. In a time where there is a significant water shortage, higher temperatures, and eroding soils, food scarcity should be at the top of everyone's agenda. Brown poses the question whether or not food scarcity will be our civilization's "weak link" in terms of survival. He demonstrates how food security is a serious issue across the globe. As supply decreases, demand increases, thus raising the price of food. Unlike global resources such as oil,
Most people do not spend their days wondering where their next meal is going to come from, but as the economic situation gets worse and jobs get harder to find it is becoming an every occurring issue in the United States today. Not only will some of us have to worry about with what money will we buy our food, but now we will all start having to worry about where our food is coming from and is it safe for us to consume. We are moving toward a safer tomorrow every day by regulating certain parts of our food supply system. No matter how long it takes, it is clear that there is always opportunity for improvement in making our Nation healthier and safer.
America is a very gluttonous country. On a yearly basis, the average American can consume a grand total of 1 TON (or 2000 pounds) of food. However, the real problem comes before and after the eating. In total, America loses 40% of the food it produces, from farm to landfill. This shows that in 1 ton of food, 800 pounds are lost, in either the waste...
Walsh, Bryan. “America’s Food Crisis.” NEXUS. Eds. Kim and Michael Flachmann. Boston: Pearson, 2012. 166 – 173. Print.
Much of the food is thrown into landfills, where it rots, which has very negative effects on the environment. According to John Oliver, the food left to rot in the landfills releases methane, an extremely powerful greenhouse gas (Oliver, 2015). Methane is a greenhouse gas, meaning it destroys the ozone layer and contributes to the warming of the earth. By refraining from throwing out so much food, or at least redirecting it to people who need it, food waste would be reduced, and so would its harm on the environment. Not only does the rotting food release greenhouse gases, the resources wasted to deal with the unwanted food are huge. According to Kevin Hall, Juen Guo, Michael Dore, and Carson Chow, “Food waste contributes to excess consumption of freshwater and fossil fuels which, along with methane and CO2 emissions from decomposing food, impacts global climate change” (Hall, Guo, Dore, & Chow, 2009, p. 1). America is essentially using resources like water and fossil fuels, that we could be directing towards a better cause, to dispose of perfectly good food that will then release harmful gases of methane and carbon dioxide. Food waste matters because it is a complete waste of valuable resources and food that is needed by many, while also contributing to the growing problem of climate
...ghner, 1993). It is the authors belief that consumers are aware of their consumption, as well as realize how wasteful they are with food in general For the students who do not fit into Eighner's wasteful category, he presents a grouping of frugal consumers who, "carefully wrap up even the smallest leftover[s] and shove it into the back of the refrigerator for six months or so before discarding it" (Eighner, 1993).
In Martinsburg, WV, fast food ruined the landscape, “In 1942 there were about 3 million apple and peach trees in the area, today there are about 300,000,”(p.20 lines:65-67) In addition, most farmers are selling the remaining farmland,”The last remaining farmers are selling their land to real estate developers, and new neighborhoods”(p.20 lines:65-67). Other effects of fast food is landfill problems,“Fast food places use a lot of a lot of packaging. From the wrappers and straws to the boxes and bags, fast food packaging counts for an estimated 40 percent of all litter (including drinks, chips, candy, and other snacks) with Styrofoam being the most common food waste. What’s more, Styrofoam takes an unbelievable 900 years to breakdown in landfill!” These are some of the ways that fast food affects the
If I were to ask people, “Do you see anything wrong with the food system in America?” the majority of people would respond “No”. After all, America is the best country on Earth. How could the alleged best country on Earth be running on a tainted system that only cares about profit? It was not until I did my own research that I uncover the many, many flaws. After watching the documentary Food Inc., it is very evident that the current system providing the nation with food and food safety is broken. In order to amend the current system, there needs to be changes in three key areas: the government, the producers, and the consumers.
Since World War Two, the demand for convenient food, ethnic foods, and fresh fruits and vegetables has risen as a result of increases in income and the prevalence of dual-income families, together with the desire for food variety and healthy foods. The agriculture industry works and develops to meet these demands. Into recent times, societies share a growing concern regarding the environment, climate change, food safety, and animal welfare. Pertaining to agriculture, these concerns question issues such as soil and water conservation practices, use of pesticides and chemicals in crop production, growth promoters, and livestock treatment practices in animal agriculture. However, the industry’s scientists continue to work and research ways to balance the industry and bring environmental and economic
I walked into the lunchroom, and they handed me my lunch tray. They gave me a scoop of orange looking spaghetti with 3 meatballs that were the size of a tennis ball. The school should change the school lunch menu because the food looks raw and like different color, also the food looks disgusting, and its really bad for your health. I believe they can change the schools lunch preparation.
"U.S. Food System Facts Sheet." Center for Sustainable Systems . The University of Michigan , 2010. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. .