Overconsumption is a topic rarely touched upon in the United States. In fact, it is a word rarely considered in American culture, a distinct difference from the days of the Great Depression, where families were conditioned to waste not, want not.
However, the United States Food and Drug Administration released a report in February 2014 that puts a magnifying glass to the problem that Americans have with wasting food. Their report concluded that 31 percent of all food available at both the consumer and retail level was wasted.
Now, when this writer began to read these facts assumed that retail businesses must have been responsible for the majority of that 31 percent. Unfortunately, this was not the case. The USDA further split the data to find out how much each sector was wasting, and concluded that the U.S. consumers were wasting 21 of the 31 percent. That means that out of all of the food produced in the United States, the consumer is throwing away 1/5 of it without eating it.
While this data is only focused on the United States, it speaks volumes to all countries that have similar food purchasing practices. If this type of waste and overconsumption can be defeated, then it will help the planet in several ways, from fewer landfills to a better use of the funds and foods involved.
If people can consciously purchase and eat only the food they need, they will begin to see those positive changes. Again, it is only something that will work if everyone makes an effort. It might not seem like much if you, the reader, is the only one making the decision to cut back, but movements start with one person at a time. Choose to stop your own food waste, and soon the results will show.
