In a debate article in Göteborgs Posten (GP) at the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, Annica Sohlström, Director of The Swedish National Food Agency writes that “Not throwing away food is a seemingly simple act that makes a real difference to the environment and the climate”. We can all contribute to reduce food waste. Not only is it good for the climate. It is also good for the wallet, considering the increasing food prices.
Food and climate are linked and that is one of the reasons why the UN has started International Food Waste Day, which takes place on the 29th of September each year. In the article Sohlström points out that we throw away far too much food. For a family of two adults and two children, the sum ends up to about 140 kilos of food each year. Food that could have been eaten – if it had been handled and taken care of properly. The mountain of food waste that the households generate each year would not exist if we valued our food more. If we did, we would take better care of it, and that would reduce food waste. Sohlström gives examples of what households can do so that cultivation, processing, transport, storage, and packaging of food does not take up unnecessary resources. Partly for the sake of the climate and partly for the sake of one’s own wallet when food prices increase.
