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When we think about environmental problems, images of industrial pollution or car exhaust come to mind—not dinner. In reality, the food sector poses one of the largest threats to our planet.
Food waste occurs at all stages of the food cycle: when farmers leave unharvested crops to rot in fields because it is not profitable to harvest them; when inappropriate storage and handling causes food to spoil; when retailers turn away 'ugly' produce; and when confusing date labels cause consumers to discard food that is still safe to eat. Food waste at each of these stages contributes to 40 percent of all food produced in the U.S. going uneaten—a fact made paradoxical given that one in six people in the U.S. faces food insecurity.
Agriculture accounts for up to 80 percent of freshwater consumption in the U.S. To produce 8 ounces of strawberries, it takes about 10 gallons of water, whereas six ounces of steak requires an exorbitant 674 gallons of water!
Given that agriculture takes up 50 percent of land area in the U.S., proper water management matters greatly as droughts will continue to exacerbate water scarcity. California, often referred to as America's breadbasket, is already vulnerable to drought, and as climate change intensifies, these droughts will only last longer and happen more frequently.
When we waste food, we are also wasting the fuel required to transport it. Transporting food from farms to consumer households consumes 10 percent of the total U.S. energy budget.
The impact of food waste ripples into other issues, too, including municipal solid waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Uneaten food comprises the largest category of municipal solid waste reaching U.S. landfills, and it accounts for 23 percent of U.S. methane emissions, since methane is a byproduct of its decomposition.
[...] Confusing date labels cause a large portion of food waste. In the absence of federal standards, food manufacturers and retailers decide on labels and cut-off dates based on their own market standards. Consequently, American consumers find diverse and inconsistent food date labels in grocery stores. Various items read 'sell by', 'use by', 'best by', and/or 'enjoy by', and their meanings vary from product to product.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by c0lo on Friday August 30 2019, @04:37AM (5 children)
Cool. The price is 8 hours of hard labor for one 200g steak. No money or other "value" accepted. Deal?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Kell on Friday August 30 2019, @05:40AM (3 children)
Sure, except that not how labour markets work. Exchange of abstracted value for commodities is what economics, and especially agriculture, are built on. Farmers grow the food and I pay them for their effort; in return I perform useful activity and am paid for it in kind. If I wanted, I could grow my own food, but a farmer is better at it (and has higher economics of scale), just like I'm better than a farmer at... say... robotics. Demanding a specific type of labour for a specific type of commodity is nonsensical.
Scientists ask questions. Engineers solve problems.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 30 2019, @09:09AM (2 children)
Oh yeah ? Can you diagnose a droid with a bad motivator?
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Friday August 30 2019, @02:29PM
Not sure, but my kid can replace sparking broken pieces of them in VR.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 2) by Kell on Saturday August 31 2019, @05:59AM
Yeah, actually.
Scientists ask questions. Engineers solve problems.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 31 2019, @01:44AM
If that's what it takes you, you're one crappy farmer.
On my farm, (not primarily a meat operation) we typically finish a year with around 300kg/worker (meat, not just hanging weight). However, the actual amount of labour applied per worker, given that it's not really a meat operation, per kg of meat, is more like 100 hours. Multiply that to a fairly normal 2000 hour work year, and you arrive at 6 tons per person, per year. Dividing that into a daily allowance brings you near 16kg/day.
And this is on a farm not devoted to meat production - the meat's just a byproduct. The real specialists will get way, way better results.
Maybe reconsider your numbers. I think the grandparent poster could find a way better deal somewhere.