November 18th will be National Food Collection Day, an initiative to reduce food waste by distributing it to those in need.
It is estimated that every year, a third of the total food produced for human consumption worldwide is wasted. In particular, in rich countries a large part of still usable food is thrown away by consumers, while another part is disposed of during the production process.
According to the definition of the European Commission, food waste means “all the products discarded by the agri-food chain which, for economic or aesthetic reasons or due to the proximity of the expiry date, although still edible, are destined to be eliminated or disposed of”.
The FAO, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, provides a definition of the phenomenon that distinguishes between Food Loss and Food Waste.
The first term refers to the decrease in the quantity or nutritional value of food due to flaws in the production, transport and distribution chain: we are therefore talking about products lost due to avoidable events, not collected due to system inefficiencies , perished during transport or stored inadequately.
By Food Waste we mean the waste of food, potentially usable and having reached the distribution phase, due to a series of factors: it is thrown away by sellers or consumers because it is dented, because it has a different shape or size from the standard, because it is close to the deadline, or due to supply exceeding demand.
These losses, at every level of the system and multiplied on a global scale, reach truly impressive volumes.
What can be done to change the situation and what contribution can each of us make on a daily basis?
Fight against food waste. Circular economy and sustainability
Fighting food waste is one of the main challenges for sustainable development: among the 17 objectives of the 2030 Agenda there is halving of the waste of food resources, considered one of the most evident paradoxes of the current production and consumption model: in fact , while so much food is wasted, a significant portion of the world’s population suffers from hunger.
The 5 pillars on which the circular economy is based are: sustainable resources, product as a service, sharing platforms, life cycle extension, recovery and recycling.
In the food sector, the circular economy translates into recycling of organic waste, composting, energy recovery and sharing of surpluses: we thus try to minimize waste while maximizing the value and distribution of goods.
We must therefore cultivate what is necessary, reduce losses and waste, encourage local production, promote responsible consumption, educate on reuse and virtuous disposal.
All this requires a change of mentality on the part of both businesses and consumers. In fact, if in low-income countries the loss of food goods is largely due to inadequate organization of the production and distribution chain, in high- and middle-income countries, the problem is caused above all by poor habits of saving and recycling.
The transition requires important cultural, educational and regulatory changes.
We can all make a difference: here’s how
Not wasting means first of all saving, in fact not throwing away good and usable food is good for our finances, and for the planet.
It is therefore clear that committing to implementing small intelligent consumption strategies is fundamental and a duty for each of us.
Here are some useful tips.
- It’s a good idea to go shopping after planning a weekly menu. A simple method is to decide what you will eat during the week, check which foods are already present in the house and then write a shopping list, including only what is missing.
- It is advisable to go to the supermarket with clear ideas and a list so as not to be tempted by offers and the impulse of the moment. For the same reason it is advisable not to go shopping when you are hungry.
- It is a good habit to buy fruit and vegetables loose and unpackaged, so as to purchase only the quantity actually needed.
- There is no need to throw away leftovers. We can save them for meals the next day or freeze them for another occasion.
- It’s fun to make desserts or smoothies with expiring fruit, while vegetables can become soups or veloutés.
- It is possible to freeze bread and use only the quantity needed each time. The same thing can be done with cooked and uneaten dishes, which can be taken out of the freezer at the most appropriate time (perhaps when you are tired and don’t feel like cooking).
The Museum of Saving contributes to the achievement of the Global Goals and to the promotion of sustainability at all levels.
Furthermore, on the occasion of EXPO 2015, it created a four-episode sit-com on the topic of food waste to stimulate reflection on useful behaviors to reduce it.