Humans will continue to live in an era of incredible food waste

Let me start with the following principle: “Energy is the only global currency: it must be converted into one of its many forms to accomplish anythingEconomies are merely complex systems set up to make these transformations, and all economically important energy transformations have (often largely undesirable) environmental impacts. Thus, with respect to the biosphere, the best anthropogenic energy transformations are The ones that never happen: no emissions of gases (whether greenhouse or acidified), no generation of solid or liquid waste, and no destruction of ecosystems The best way to do this was to convert the most efficient energies: without widespread adoption (whether that was the case). In diesel engines (such as jet engines, combined cycle gas turbines, light-emitting diodes, steel smelting, or ammonia synthesis) we will need to convert significantly more primary energy with all the attendant environmental impacts.

Conversely, what could be more wasteful, undesirable, and irrational than to cancel out a large share of these transformation gains by wasting them? Yet precisely this continues to happen – and to unjustifiably high degrees – with all end-uses of energy. Buildings consume about a fifth of the world’s total energyBut due to insufficient wall and ceiling insulation, single-pane windows, and poor ventilation, at least one-fifth to one-third of it is wasted, compared to well-designed interior spaces. A typical SUV is now twice as large as a common pre-SUV, and needs at least a third more energy to perform the same task.

The most offensive of these wasteful practices is our food production. The modern food system (from the energy involved in raising new varieties, manufacturing fertilizers and other agricultural chemicals, and making field machinery to the energy used in harvesting, transporting, processing, storing, retailing, and cooking) is approaching 20 percent of the world’s primary fuel and electricity-We waste as much 40 percent Of all food produced. Some food waste is inevitable. However, the prevailing food waste is untenable. It is criminal in many ways.

Fighting it is difficult for many reasons. First, there are many ways food is wasted: from losses in the field to spoilage in storage, from perishable seasonal surpluses to keeping the “perfect” supply in stores, from large quantities when eating out to the decline of home cooking.

second, Food now travels very far Before reaching consumers: The average distance a typical food item travels 1,500 to 2,500 miles before it is purchased.

third, It remains very cheap Regarding other expenses. Despite recent increases in food prices, families now spend only about $0.5 million 11 percent of their disposable income on food (in 1960 it was about 20 percent). Spending on food out of the home (usually more extravagant than eating at home) is now more than half that total. Finally, as consumers, we have an inordinate nutritional choice available to us: just keep in mind that the average American supermarket now carries more than… 30,000 food products.

Clearly, our society is quite content to waste 40 percent of the approximately 20 percent of the total energy it expends on food. In 2025, unfortunately, this horrific level of waste will not receive more attention. In fact, the situation will get worse. As we continue to pour billions into the search for energy “solutions” – from new nuclear reactors (even nuclear fusion!) to green hydrogen, all of which carry their own environmental burdens – in 2025, we will continue to fail to address massive energy waste. Food that took a lot of fuel and electricity to produce.