Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

November 22, 2008 1:40:34 CST

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

As World's Belly Rumbles, Gluttonous US Tosses Food

Posted May 18, 08 11:06 CDT in Science & Health,  US 

(Newser) – Americans throw out roughly a quarter of all food available for consumption, even as grocery prices skyrocket and global riots break out over food shortages, the New York Times reports. That works out to about a pound of food every day for every American—from grocery stories tossing spoiled produce to restaurants scrapping uneaten dishes to home cooks pitching uneaten leftovers in the fridge.

Fresh produce, milk, grain products, and sweeteners account for two-thirds of all waste, roughly 30 million tons of food each year. To combat waste, many major cities now have food rescue organizations that pick up and donate restaurant and grocery store food each night. Growing numbers of programs are donating scraps and overripe produce to livestock farmers or for composting.

Source New York Times

3 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Humble Spud Could Solve Food Crisis

    Apr 15, 08 2:39 CDT
    Humble Spud Could Solve Food Crisis Sharp hikes in the prices of staples like wheat and rice are sending shockwaves around the world and convincing governments to rediscover the virtues of the potato, Reuters reports. Spuds are nutritious, will grow just about anywhere, and they yield up to four times more food per acre than other staples. Peruvians, faced with soaring wheat prices, have been switching to potato bread. More »

More cities are using food rescue organizations to transfer food that's about to be discarded from restaurants and grocery stores to food pantries.   (KRT Photos)
Grocery stores throw out food that's spoiled or has cosmetic imperfections.   (AP Photo)
More than 30 million tons of food are wasted each year.   (Archive Photos)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 3)

Tags

food • food prices • donation • food shortage • waste • landfill


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other US Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser a team of editors and writers culls the most important stories from hundreds of U.S. and international sources and reduces them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. It's the Newser guarantee: we can take any report or column or video and pack what you need to know into 120 words or less. Newser's short-form aggregation, visual format, and unique information tools help you get more of the kind of news you want, in a quicker and more entertaining way. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »