How food waste affects the environment

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OPINION

By Eng. Sandra Atukunda

Why what we throw away matters more than we think

Food waste might seem harmless at first glance, a forgotten tomato in the fridge, leftovers tossed after a party, produce lost in transit. Yet the journey of food from farm to plate is long and resource-intensive, and when food is wasted, everything invested in getting it to us is wasted too. For Rotary, a global network committed to sustainable communities, understanding the environmental cost of food waste is essential.

What exactly is food waste?

Food waste refers to food intended for human consumption that is lost or discarded along the supply chain, from the farm to the market to our households. It generally falls into two categories:

• Food loss: Waste that occurs early in the production process, during growing, harvesting, storage, or processing.
• Food wastage: Edible food that is thrown away at the retail or consumer level.
  
  

Though it may surprise many, food waste significantly harms the environment. Every discarded meal represents wasted water, energy, labour, land, and money, magnifying its environmental footprint.

The food production journey has two broad phases:

1. Upstream: Growing, harvesting, processing, and transporting food.
2. Downstream: Retail, marketing, and consumption.

When waste occurs downstream, its environmental impact is even greater because far more resources have already been used to produce, package, and deliver that food.

A 2013 report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) highlighted a global pattern:

• Middle- and high-income countries tend to waste food downstream, mainly through consumer and commercial habits.
• Developing countries experience more upstream losses due to challenges such as limited refrigeration, poor storage, and technical constraints in harvesting.

How food waste hurts the environment

1. Wastage of Natural Resources
   
   

Every morsel of food requires water, fuel, and energy to produce. Agriculture, for example, accounts for 70% of global freshwater use. This water irrigates crops and supports livestock, poultry, and fisheries. When food is wasted, so is the water that sustained its entire life cycle.

At a time when water scarcity is becoming a global crisis, and some regions are predicted to be uninhabitable within decades, wasting food indirectly accelerates the loss of a precious resource.

2. Contribution to Climate Change
   
   

Once food reaches a landfill, it decomposes without oxygen and releases methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Methane traps heat for roughly 12 years, accelerating global warming.

Researchers estimate that improving global food waste management could reduce 11% of greenhouse gas emissions, a staggering number for something as preventable as uneaten food.

3. Degradation of Land

Food waste also strains our land resources. Agriculture uses 11.5 million hectares of the world’s land surface. That includes Arable land (Suitable for crop production) and Non-arable land (Used for grazing or unsuitable for farming)

We not only degrade land through intensive agricultural practices but also through the dumping of food waste, which alters soil composition and reduces the land’s ability to support healthy ecosystems.

A call to mindful living

As we approach the festive season, a time known for abundance, let us embrace responsible consumption. By planning meals carefully, sharing surplus food, storing food properly, and supporting food recovery initiatives, we can collectively reduce our ecological footprint.

Food waste is not simply a household issue; it is a global environmental challenge. And every Rotarian can play a part in protecting our planet, one plate at a time.

The writer is a Senior Engineer, Urban Water Supply & Sewerage Services Department Directorate of Water Development, Ministry of Water and Environment

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