HLE Food Waste Comic
Storyboard Text
- Hi, my name is Fiona Law and my project is on food waste.
- There are 2 categories of wasted food: food loss, which is edible food discarded along every step of the food chain (farms, fishing, etc), and food waste, which is a specific piece of food loss(like half-eaten meals from a restaurant). This is a big problem because food waste affects other pressing issues such as climate change and energy waste. Additionally, it is responsible for more than 25% of all freshwater consumption in the U.S. each year.
- There are many problems with food waste. First, food waste attracts wildlife, affecting their numbers, reproduction patterns, and more. The litter from food waste attracts scavenging animals and larger wildlife who prey on them, possibly posing a threat to wildlife, and us. To add on, the ocean and wildlife are affected by food waste. 7 billion tons of wasted fish are dumped into the ocean each year, attracting birds. This may lead to an imbalance in the ecosystem. Second, food waste can lead to climate change. When food is wasted, the energy and water it takes to grow, harvest, transport and package it is also wasted. When the food goes to the landfill, it creates methane (a greenhouse gas more potent than carbon dioxide). About 6-8% of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced if we stopped wasting food. Greenhouse gases cause climate change by trapping heat and they contribute to respiratory disease through air pollution. Third, those with access to food can help those in need, but there are still as many as 811 million people that are hungry.
- There are 2 ways I found that are the best solutions for this problem! The best one is composting. Composting is an organic material that can be added to soil to help plants grow. It is really helpful since it reduces the waste stream, cuts methane from landfills, improves soil health and lessens erosion, conserves water, and reduces personal food waste. It is so easy to start and can easily be done at home with leftovers!
- I want to learn how I can help!
- Another solution is selling excess food the RESQ Club. The RESQ club is a Finnish company that connects sustainable restaurants, cafes, and grocery stores, allowing customers to purchase and rescue surplus quality food within their proximity. You can find half-priced meals by downloading the app on your phone! The meals are half-priced, convenient, and can be picked up wherever you want. You also reduce food waste! However, this service is only available in Germany, Sweden, and Finland. Since RESQ is limited to only a few countries and is not accessible globally (like compost is), it is not the best solution.
- What's the other solution?
- In conclusion, food waste is any edible amount of food that is available for human consumption but isn’t consumed. It can lead to climate change, and affects the ocean and wildlife. A simple solution people can do in their own homes is start a compost bin. Composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter, like leaves and food scraps, into a fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants. While one person composting may not do much on a larger worldwide scale, if more people do it, there is a much larger impact.
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