More than 40% of the food in the United States ends up in the trash can

More than 40% of the food in the United States ends up in the trash can. A research report recently released by the non-profit environmental organization "Natural Resources Defense Council" pointed out that Americans throw away more than...

More than 40% of the food in the United States goes into the trash can. A research report recently released by the non-profit environmental organization "Natural Resources Defense Council" pointed out that Americans throw away more than 40% of their food every year, and this wasted food is worth about 165 billion yuan. A report from the Natural Resources Defense Council states that more than 40% of the food Americans eat each year ends up in the trash instead of in their stomachs. The report points out that the average American family of four throws away $2,275 worth of food every year. If the percentage of food thrown away dropped by just 15 percent, the savings would be enough to buy the food needed by 25 million Americans and reduce the burden on landfills, since a large portion of solid waste is thrown away food. The NRDC also points out that evidence shows that the amount of food Americans throw away has increased by 50 percent since the 1970s, and a significant portion of this is fruits and vegetables that are not sold in grocery stores. But consumers and restaurants are also responsible for cooking too much food, leaving much of it uneaten and thrown into the trash. "As a country, we're basically throwing away half of the food we get, which is throwing money and precious resources down the drain," said Dana Gundes, a scientist with the association's food and agriculture program. The NRDC said the group is asking the U.S. government to study waste in the food system and set goals to reduce it. "No matter how sustainable our food production is, if the food isn't eaten, it's not a good use of resources," Gunders said.