Instead of Wasting Food, We’re Giving It to Those Who Need It Most

Efforts to combat the food waste problem are gaining traction around the world, both to put an end to global hunger and to fight climate change. 

In California, supermarkets are now required to give away food that is unsold but still fine to eat. In Seoul, garbage cans weigh how much food gets thrown in the trash — and Koreans must pay for what they toss. Over in Spain, a new law requires restaurants to offer to-go options for uneaten food. Britain removed the date label on produce after research showed some people confused it with the “best by” date, and France requires supermarkets to donate leftover, but safe food. “It is a huge deal. We are trying to turn waste into a resource,” says Rachel Machi Wagoner, director of CalRecycle. 

Worldwide, 31 percent of the food grown, shipped, or sold is wasted. In the United States alone, one-third of the food supply goes uneaten. Globally, food waste accounts for around 8 to 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions — which would mean enough leftover food to feed over a billion people.