US Aims to Cut Food Waste in Half by 2030
Two federal agencies on Wednesday called for a 50 reduction in food waste in the United States by 2030 and announced a partnership with charities and private sector organizations to cut waste. The announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency comes in advance of a discussion of sustainability at the United Nations in New York City next week. "Let's feed people, not landfills," said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy in a press release. "Today's announcement presents a major environmental, social and public health opportunity for the U.S.", Read more Here's How To Cut Down On Food Waste, The average American household of four wastes more than two million calories of food with a value of nearly 1,500 each year, according to the USDA. In total, nearly a third of the food supply goes to waste. At the same, nearly 50 million Americans live in food insecure households. Wednesday's announcement was billed as the latest in a slew of initiatives to change these trends. Food waste reduction efforts also help in the fight against climate change. Organic matter that winds up in landfills eventually creates methane gas, a greenhouse gas that accelerates global warming.