Problem-Solution Research Paper
How to Deal with Food Waste Problem
I. Introduction
Are you a person who throws away food without thinking about the consequences? Are you aware of how much food is discarded annually in the world? According to Kannan and Hamed (2017), people around the globe waste one-third of produced food, which equals 1.3 billion tons of food waste in total a year. This concerning fact emphasizes the immediate need for action. Food waste is not only a problem for individuals or communities, but it is a significant worldwide issue that requires the attention and action of governments around the globe. Though the issue seemly only related to the governments and related authorities, we as citizens are concerned about this problem because every individual could cause food waste and eventually lead to a great impact on many aspects of life. What we, as citizens, can do to stop this from happening is to take action.
II. The Overall Problem
Based on an article on the impacts of food waste (Zhang et al., 2019), food waste is a significant issue that gives rise to several problems, including economic, social, and environmental concerns. On an economic level, food waste indicates a mass unnecessary loss of resources and investments. A report from ReFED (2016) estimates that food waste costs the U.S. economy $218 billion annually. This underscores that what is lost due to food waste is more than the food itself. It is also connected to labor, raw materials, and financial investments in producing and transporting food; and retailers, restaurants, farmers, and households will bear the cost of wasted food eventually. Apart from economic problems, food waste worsens social issues such as food insecurity and world hunger. While a considerable amount of unwanted food is being thrown away on a regular basis, it deprives opportunities for millions of people who reside in poverty countries and suffer from malnutrition to obtain food.
At last, the environmental impact caused by food waste is equally concerning. Crops, livestock, water, and energy that are used to produce and transport food are squandered in vain when the food is wasted. In addition to wasted resources, the additional green gas emission for the unfinished food to decompose is a potent contribution to climate change. To conclude, it is crucial to address the issue of unfinished food wastage in order to lessen economic, social, and environmental challenges. In the following paragraph, we are going to discuss 3 food waste problems and what we can do: overbuying, improper ways of storing food, and insufficient awareness of food waste.
III. One Part of the Problem and its Corresponding Solutions
First of all, one of the problems is overbuying. According to the survey we conducted, 31 out of 51 people throw away their food because they are unable to finish it (Figure 1). This result highlights the problem of overbuying and wasting food due to insufficient meal arrangements and shopping habits. To address this issue, one possible solution is to plan meals and shop wisely, which is an easy method for consumers. A majority of people don’t have a habit of making a shopping plan before purchasing groceries, so from time to time, they buy too much food for their needs. As stated by Stefan (2013), shopping plans can help reduce the negative effect of food waste. Planning your meals in advance allows you to determine the quantity and type of food you need to purchase for a specific period. By considering your family’s usual consumption, you can avoid buying excess food that may spoil before it can be finished. It’s advisable to purchase perishable items such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy products in smaller quantities to ensure they are consumed before they spoil, reducing food waste. Some may argue that making a well-thought shopping plan is taking too much effort and time for people with a strict schedule. However, making a shopping list actually saves more time than buying groceries on a whim. According to Peetz (2021), making a shopping list beforehand helps you get straight to find what you need in the market, besides, it curbs unplanned purchases during shopping trips. In the long term, the time and effort you devote to making a shopping list can pay off by saving you time and money during your shopping routines.
Figure 1. Respondents’ answers about the situation they want to throw away food.
IV. Second Part of the Problem and its Corresponding Solutions
Another problem is improper ways of storing food. According to our survey, about 96% of people agree that improper food storage is a factor leading to food waste (figure 2). A possible solution to the problem is to learn how to store food properly. Effective food storage is essential in maintaining freshness and prolonging the shelf life of food, thereby reducing the likelihood of wastage. Improper storage techniques can result in premature spoilage and a decline in food quality, ultimately leading to unnecessary waste. In accordance with Schanes and Gözet’s idea of food storing (2018), storing and categorizing food systematically decline food waste generation. It is imperative to adopt appropriate storage methods to ensure that food items remain safe for consumption and retain their nutritional value. What’s more, labeling and organizing food items can help store them efficiently and prevent them from being forgotten and eventually wasted. Labeling and organizing food with dates and contents helps individuals to keep an eye on what food they buy and to prioritize it. By doing so, we can minimize food waste and contribute to a sustainable future. However, some people might claim that storing food properly requires buying an expensive cutting-edge refrigerator and additional containers. While those pieces of equipment are helpful in keeping food indeed, they are not necessary for all cases. There are some doable food storing methods that can be practiced without buying additional or costly containers. For instance, wrapping food in air-tight sealed bags or saran wrap. Still, gradual investments in reusable containers that fit one’s financial situation and individual needs can be effective over the long run. Overall, learning how to contain, label, and organize food can lead to less unwanted food waste generation.
Figure 2. Respondents’ answer to “store food improperly” can cause food waste.
V. Third Part of the Problem and its Corresponding Solutions
Finally, the insufficient awareness of food waste is another challenge to the food waste issue. Many people don't have the idea of saving food, so they don't pay too much attention to the food waste problem in their daily life. For instance, according to our survey (Figure 3), 31 out of 51 people have never joined campaigns or propaganda related to food waste. To increase public awareness, one of the best ways is to educate citizens about the right notion of not generating food waste. According to our survey, our respondents suggested us some possible solutions. Some say that the government should fine those who have leftovers on their plate. Others think we should educate our offspring about the concept of saving food. Likewise, others believe that schools or certain organizations should offer more courses and propaganda about food waste to make people aware more about this issue. These suggestions all indicate that we should let more people know that food waste is a grave problem. Apart from those suggestions, people can pay attention to events and propaganda campaigns about cherishing food held by corporations and charity organizations. For instance, PX Mart allows you to purchase their gradually expired products at cheaper prices. Although it’s possible for some people to consider that participating in these campaigns and events can’t bring consistent changes to the food waste problem or decline a significant amount of food waste generation, yes indeed, it may not contribute to a systematic change to the issue. However, the core objective of those campaigns and events is to raise people’s awareness of food waste issues and change people’s shopping behaviors, thus people can play an active role in reducing food waste generation. In short, educating others about the proper concept of the food waste issue could be an effective way to change the current situation.
Figure 3. Asking the respondents whether they engaged in some activities about food waste
VI. Conclusion
To conclude, food waste is a complex issue, but we can still make some changes to improve the current situation. To illustrate, making shopping plans can not only save you time and money but also reduce food waste. Learning the right ways to store food is another option to minimize the amount of food waste. Educating others about the right notions of food waste is another nice choice to improve the current situation. Although we may not solve the issue only by a few people, we can still make some changes by using the methods above. We can also join certain activities related to food waste whether they are online or not. All in all, a sole individual is not enough to solve the problem, but people can make a significant impact by accumulating small changes and efforts in daily life.
References (you should cite at least 5 academic sources from Google Scholar)
Govindan, K., & Soleimani, H. (2017). A review of reverse logistics and closed-loop supply chains: a Journal of Cleaner Production focus. Journal of Cleaner Production, 142, 371-384. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652616301986
Peetz, J. (2020). Shopping less with shopping lists: Planning individual expenses ahead of time affects purchasing behavior when online grocery shopping. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 19(3), 240-251.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/financial-matters/202110/why-you-should-write-shopping-list
ReFED. (2016). A Roadmap to Reduce U.S. Food Waste by 20 Percent. Retrieved from https://refed.org/downloads/ReFED_Report_2016.pdf
Schanes, K., Dobernig, K., & Gözet, B. (2018). Food waste matters-A systematic review of household food waste practices and their policy implications. Journal of Cleaner Production, 182, 978-991.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652618303366
Stefan, V., van Herpen, E., Tudoran, A. A., & Lähteenmäki, L. (2013). Avoiding Food Waste by Romanian Consumers: The Importance of Planning and Shopping Routines. Food Quality and Preference, 28(1), 375-381. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950329312002066
ZHANG, P.-P., BAI, J.-F., LIU, X.-J., & CHENG, S.-K. (2019). Food waste at the consumer segment: Impact and action. Journal of Natural Resources, 34(2), 437-450. http://www.jnr.ac.cn/EN/abstract/abstract43030.shtml
Sources
Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Prevent Wasted Food at Home https://www.epa.gov/recycle/preventing-wasted-food-home
Munesue, Y., Masui, T. & Fushima, T. The effects of reducing food losses and food waste on global food insecurity, natural resources, and greenhouse gas emissions. Environ Econ Policy Stud 17, 43–77 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10018-014-0083-0
Survey
Copy and paste your Google Survey link here:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeA16bRdrtPTbLESgPrCl5JvMtkkPt3WD7qCStyJi7TQl1omA/closedform
(Make sure this link is accessible before you put it here.)