Sustainability Quiz 7: Food Waste

Sustainability Quiz 7. How much food is wasted on average per person?

While around one third of the world's population does not have access to adequate food, we also waste around one third of all food. Significantly, food rescuers believe that there is more than enough food on the planet right now to feed everyone, if what already existed was evenly distributed. Food waste and hunger are intimately related and we can all play several roles in improving.

An average of 312 kg of food per person is wasted 

In Australia, according to Foodbank, 7.6 million tonnes of food is lost or wasted every year. And while 70% of this food is still perfectly edible, 1 in 6 Australian adults haven’t had enough to eat in the last year and 1.2 million children have gone hungry.

THE AVERAGE AUSTRALIAN HOUSEHOLD THROWS OUT 1 IN EVERY 5 SHOPPING BAGS OF FOOD. WE DON'T HAVE TO BE DOING THAT.

Globally, as many as 811 million people were affected by hunger in 2020 with the number rising sharply due to COVID-19. It is somewhat ironic that while worldwide hunger continues to rise, we are tossing out an estimated one-third of food that could be eaten by hungry people. 

The actual food waste is just the tip of iceberg

The problem with wasting food is that all the resources used in both the food production and getting rid of it are also wasted. From the farmer who made the food, the harvesting, the transport, production, storage, resale, shipping, cooking - all the way to a plate - wasted.

EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF FOOD THAT ENDS UP ON YOUR PLATE OWES THE PLANET A SIZABLE DEBT. WHEN YOU WASTE IT, THE DEBT INCREASES.

Stats from the 2021 National Food Feasibility Study tell us:

• 17.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gases are generated annually from the production and disposal of food wasted in Australia (excluding the emissions associated with exported food), equivalent to the annual emissions from Australia’s highest emitting coal-fired power station
• Food waste accounts for approximately 3% of Australia’s annual greenhouse gas emissions
• The amount of water used to grow food that is wasted equals the volume of water in five Sydney Harbours (2600 gigalitres)
• If we combine the landmass used to grow wasted food in Australia, it is larger than Victoria, which is over 25 million hectares
• 25% of the water used in agriculture is used to grow food that is wasted
• Throwing away one burger wastes the same amount of water as a 90 minute shower.

What can you do?

Food waste is very easy to deal with and unlike some other sustainability measures, it will generally save you - rather than cost you - money. Everyone has a part to play, from growers through production and consumers. Choose where you shop, only buy what you need understand food labels, don't toss edible food - manage what we don't use; and use your nose and logic instead of use by dates. 

If you are a eating establishment or a retailer, how you choose to discard or pass on your unwanted food impacts hunger, emissions and the scrap heap. Please please act more responsibly.

Something incorrect here? Suggest an update below: