Food for Thought

The demand for flawless fruits and vegetables is fueling food waste across the world. Blemished peaches, flowering broccoli, and misshapen carrots are often deemed unsellable by retailers, forcing farmers to dispose of nutritious and high-value produce. Food is not only wasted in fields, but also in warehouses, in packaging and distribution plants, in supermarkets and restaurants, and even in our homes. Referred to as the “farm to fork” problem, this issue costs Canada $31 billion a year (previously quantified as $27 billion according to this VCM report) as food waste accounts for approximately 40% of waste destined for landfills. Despite these alarming statistics and wasteful cycles, there are many individuals and organizations taking action to combat this issue. CRC held an e-Dialogue where expert panelists discussed the concept of waste and shared innovative waste management initiatives. This CRC case study examines an innovative province-wide waste management strategy in Nova Scotia that uncovered effective recycling and composting programs. This Vancouver-based documentary, Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story, follows a couple who survive on wasted food collected from garbage bins.

Check out the Head Talks video below, illustrating food wastage in Canada.

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