About 40% of U.S. Food Wasted each year: study
About 40% of U.S. food wasted each year: study (by William Spain)
CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- About 40% of all food in the U.S. is thrown away each year, a figure that has grown by half in the last 40 years, according to a report from the Natural Resources Defense Council. The environmental group estimates the value of the wasted food at $165 billion annually and noted that it is the single largest component of solid waste in landfills. The NRDC also said that a 15% reduction in waste could feed 25 million people each year. "As a country, we're essentially tossing every other piece of food that crosses our path -- that's money and precious resources down the drain," said Dana Gunders, the group's project scientist with the food and agriculture program. "With the price of food continuing to grow, and drought jeopardizing farmers nationwide, now is the time to embrace all the tremendous untapped opportunities to get more out of our food system."