Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E264 which is part two of Food Waste: The World’s Most Solvable Environmental Problem.

In the last episode we covered the first five out of ten reasons why the reduction of food waste has such a significant positive environment impact.

Unlike so many other global problems, reducing our food waste is one of the easiest things we can do as individuals. There are ten reasons why food waste is the world’s most solvable environment problem. In the last episode we covered five of those reasons. Now, just for a quick review:

-The solutions already exist. This means we do not need new technology or new science. The solutions are simple, proven, and accessible to everyone.

-Prevention is far cheaper than clean up. While most solutions for environmental problems focus on managing the damage after it has already happened, prevention of food waste cost less than disposal and the pay back is immediate.

-Individuals have the real power. While most global environment problems feel distant and abstract, food waste prevention can happen without waiting for governments, corporations and the implementation of new laws. We all participate in our food systems everyday so we have the ability to do something about it today.

-It reduces multiple environmental impacts at once. Because of the nature of our food systems, waste prevention effect climate change, addresses water scarcity, land degradation and reduces energy consumption all at once.

-Most wasted food is perfectly edible. Since our food systems are inefficient, risk-averse, and culturally distorted, they are built for waste. The majority of wasted food is actually perfectly edible and we can do something about it.

But, before we get to the next 5 reasons as to why food waste is the world’s most solvable environmental problem, let’s first talk about the good news story of the week.