Domestic Issues, Global Perspectives: America's Waste

Wasted: How America is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm to Fork to Landfill

"There was once a time when we wasted far less, and we can get back there again. Doing so will ultimately require a suite of coordinated solutions, including changes in supply-chain operation, enhanced market incentives, increased public awareness and adjustments in consumer behavior."

Personally, I think that's wishful thinking. Of course, it would be great if we could revert back to our old ways and not waste as much. But I just think America, despite our great successes and first-worldliness, is on a downward spiral toward environmental chaos, and there's no turning back. Politicians aren't in power to make the world happy and healthy - they're there to further their own agendas.
I feel so fortunate to have grown up in the United States and to have had the childhood that I did, but politically, America is the devil (I apologize for always being so pessimistic). Sure, the UK and the EU have taken steps to combat food waste, but they're a lot more environmentally conscious than we are. We have so much space to set up shop that this concept of "too much waste" doesn't seem to take hold, whereas Europeans, with such little space to work with, can see the effects of such waste immediately.

"There is the plain economic truth that the more food consumers waste, the more those in the food industry are able to sell."

The simple supply and demand of economics. My own family has so much extra food lying around in freezers, the pantry and the refrigerator, all because we thought there might be a need for it one day. Once my mom finally decides to do a deep cleaning to only keep what is still fresh of what we normally eat, I can safely say that at least 70 percent of the food in my house will go in to the dumpster. And I'm sure my family isn't the only one like this. Plenty of American families go to the grocery store and buy things that they might one day use, not what they absolutely need. This constant surplus encourages producers to produce even more, which results in even more waste.

"Standardize and clarify the meaning of date labels on food so that consumers stop throwing out items due to misinterpretation."

I must admit, I have fallen victim to this misinterpretation as well. It wasn't until I was throwing away a loaf of bread on the printed expiration date and my mom explaining what the "Good by" date meant that I actually understood.

Americans Waste $130 Billion a Year on Energy

"U.S. businesses and individuals could save money, curb emissions of global warming pollutants, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and cut energy consumption by 23 percent by 2020, merely by taking sensible, practical steps to use energy more efficiently."

I can agree with a statement like this. I believe in campaigning to make a difference in the individual's way of life, but when it comes to trying to make a difference with government officials, I generally have no hope.

What's an R-value? There's a reason for all these "market failures!" We don't know a thing about them!

Impressive numbers.
"To accelerate that progress, McKinsey says we need federal, state and local government action, more education of consumers and businesses, and greater alignment among utilities, regulators and consumers of energy."

Aha, that is where our problem lies. Unless something drastic happens that will make those people in power change their minds, they are not going to sacrifice any time or energy on something that doesn't personally benefit themselves.

Gigatons and quadrillions? What is this, math class? I can't wrap my head around numbers like those.

Energy Waste Rebounds: Top 10 Energy Pigs in the Plug

"Indeed, commercial energy use per square foot of commercial building space has declined by 25% and residential energy use per capita household has fallen by nearly one third since the late 1970s."

Because it saves money. Not necessarily because people want to be more environmentally-friendly.

"On the contrary, while base building systems have become more efficient, plug loads have done something closer to the opposite."

Very interesting. I've always been under the impression that sockets use less energy than the so-called "base systems."

"High capacity color copiers are the largest common plug loads in offices, one of which consumes about as much as about 30 laptop computers."

"Video game consoles, especially those from 2007, and room dehumidifiers are among the largest energy consuming plug loads on an annual basis."

I guess now we have a good reason to tell my little brother to take a break from playing video games.

A major portion of the power is used when the electronic device is turned off or in standby mode, which is commonly called "phantom power."

"North American households waste about $7 billion a year on phantom loads" = "50 million tons of carbon dioxide, or enough electricity to power 6 million households"

Domestic Issues, Global Perspectives