Does Food Waste Have an Impact on Global Warming?

Sources: https://makassar.tribunnews.com/tag/food-waste

The issue of food is of concern to the world because food production is not the same as the amount of consumption so it produces waste for the environment and can have a negative impact on life. food waste triggers energy wastage because the energy used comes from fossil fuels, and carbon emissions caused by food waste are also high. This is harmful to health and the environment.

When food is wasted, all the energy sources used to produce food indirectly are also wasted. In other words, in a plate of food scraps that a person throws away not only are the nutrients present in it, but also the energy used to produce food that comes from fossil fuel power plants. In addition, the habit of leaving food also wastes water used in food production and cooking.

Food waste is also a global warming problem because of the presence of methane gas (greenhouse gas effect) which can damage the ozone layer and cause global climate change. Methane gas is 25 times more dangerous than carbon dioxide (CO2) in terms of trapping heat in the atmosphere. Therefore, the presence of food waste is considered one of the causes of global warming. To reduce this problem, everyone must get used to eating in moderation and getting used to eating without leftovers.

To reduce this problem, we as humans can contribute by making it a habit to eat in moderation and eat without leftovers. This activity can have a positive impact on efforts to improve the food security of families and communities. By participating in managing the food they have and reducing the accumulation of food waste. We can do a number of simple things to help reduce the environmental impact of food waste at home, such as:

1. Make a meal plan
   Developing a healthy food menu for the family will help in buying the food needed.
2. Buy only what you need
   Going to the market or supermarket with the necessary menu planning can save expenses and not buy food that is not needed.
3. Don’t hesitate to eat slightly defective fruit or vegetables
   Fruits or vegetables that look bad on the outside, due to overripe or incorrect packaging, are often thrown away. We don’t need to worry, because the nutritional content and taste are the same as fruits or vegetables that look smoother. So we can try cooking creativity using foods like this that can be made into a mixture of juices, smoothies, or desserts.
4. Store food well
   Optimize the storage space, including refrigerators and freezers, that we have. we can also use airtight containers to store food better. Organize storage areas according to the time of purchase: old products are placed in the front and newly purchased products can be placed at the back of the storage room.
5. Check food labels
   For the sake of family health, especially children, you should avoid buying foods that contain artificial preservatives or added sugar and excessive salt.
6. Eat small portions
   Consuming small portions of food helps us to control our food intake. This reduces the risk of food running out and ending up in the trash. If you eat at a restaurant, don’t immediately get hungry, so you no longer pay attention to the portion of the food.
7. Take advantage of leftovers
   If you can’t finish food or food at one time, the rest can be stored or frozen for consumption or used as an ingredient in cooking mixtures at a later date.
8. Turn food waste into compost
   Instead of just throwing it into the trash can, food waste left over from pieces of vegetables and fruit can be processed into organic fertilizer. This can reduce the carbon footprint while providing nutrients back to the earth.

Food Waste have an impact on global warning because it produce methane gas which one of the main cause of global warning. Even though food industry is the biggest contributor of food waste , we can reduce food waste by ourself by limiting our portions and dont be greedy. All big things starts small.

References:

• Tim FRMC. (2022, April 13). Krisis Iklim, Sisa Makanan Pengaruhi Pemanasan Global
• Save the Children. Retrieved September 22, 2022, from https://savethechildren.or.id/inspirasi/krisis-iklim-sisa-makanan-pengaruhi-pemanasan-global
• Mela, A. (2020, April 25).Sepiring Makanan Bisa Sebabkan Masalah  Global, Begini Penjelasannya Halaman all. Kompas.com. https://www.kompas.id/baca/adv_post/sepiring-makanan-bisa-sebabkan-masalah-global-begini-penjelasannya