We as Americans are too wasteful. We waste billions of dollars’ worth of food each year. Wasting that much food is not only a waste of our labor and resources, landfills holding that waste create the toxic greenhouse gas methane that will produce long term environmental problems, and there are hundreds of American families (14.3 % according the USDA) that face food insecurity and would love to have the food the rest of us take for granted on a daily basis. (Side note: food insecurity is the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.). 

Some of the reasons we are so wasteful in this country include 

1) we are impulse shoppers 

2) we want all our fruits and veggies to look perfect and throw away the ones that do not fit that standard 

3) confusing food labeling standards and laws have tricked us into throwing away a lot of the food we buy before it has even gone bad. 

The good news is we can do something about it! 

Here is what you can do 

1) Stop being an impulse shopper. 

This is America, there will always be more. So if you don’t need it or are not actually going to eat it don’t buy it 

2) Reduce your waste by recycling or composting. 

Your local community garden may be able to take some of your plant waste off your hands 

3)Educate yourself. 

I’m a believer that the more you know the more you can do. I may not be the one to write a strongly worded letter to my congressman/woman but I continue to educate myself and do my part to make our country a better place…but if Trump becomes president then I’ll have to say deuces to America