I had a conversation with a friend regarding this issue, based on personal observations regarding my own lifestyle. I am guilty of being wasteful with food. Too often it seems that the loaf of bread I bought molds before I can finish it, or that last banana goes to mush, or the Parmesan cheese in the fridge molds, or I don't manage to finish the casserole that I thought making would save me time and money. I have good intentions. I don't like the idea that I end up throwing out food which I bought and intended to eat, yet it happens. When I look at it realistically its my money that is being thrown out, and wasted, its the resources that went into producing that good, transporting said good that turns out being completely frivolous, and an externality of my own personal consumption. The really sad part is that where I live does not have a compost bin and my living arrangements do not provide for the opportunity to compost even if I wanted to. Pretty lame, I know.
If interested, here is an article which may shed some light on the concept of food waste in America. I never gave much thought to this concept until recently, but I found the overall numbers concerning.
Waste is a fact of life and a product of society. However the quantity of waste produced, especially food waste is, in my opinion, a product of the individual and their desire to utilize that with which they purchase. I took a bunch of eco classes in college and one thing that really comes to mind is a concept called the frugality movement. (Article) This is something I think about frequently, and try to embrace whenever possible. Conceptually it is very simple and to many it's probably common sense, but to only a handful is it a way of life.
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