what does the phrase food waste mean to you do you think of leftovers after a
you do you think of leftovers after a
you do you think of leftovers after a yummy Thanksgiving meal or scraps after
yummy Thanksgiving meal or scraps after
yummy Thanksgiving meal or scraps after cooking I know that when I first heard
cooking I know that when I first heard
cooking I know that when I first heard the phrase I thought of the carton of
the phrase I thought of the carton of
the phrase I thought of the carton of strawberries at the back of my fridge
strawberries at the back of my fridge
strawberries at the back of my fridge that I had to throw out because they
that I had to throw out because they
that I had to throw out because they were old and nobody had eaten them and
were old and nobody had eaten them and
were old and nobody had eaten them and food waste is all of these things but so
food waste is all of these things but so
food waste is all of these things but so much more approximately two point nine
much more approximately two point nine
much more approximately two point nine trillion pounds of food is wasted every
trillion pounds of food is wasted every
trillion pounds of food is wasted every single year and when I first heard this
single year and when I first heard this
single year and when I first heard this number I was like sure it’s a big number
number I was like sure it’s a big number
number I was like sure it’s a big number but in the grand scheme of things how
but in the grand scheme of things how
but in the grand scheme of things how big of a number is it well it turns out
big of a number is it well it turns out
big of a number is it well it turns out it’s about a third of the food produced
it’s about a third of the food produced
it’s about a third of the food produced for human consumption so a third of the
for human consumption so a third of the
for human consumption so a third of the food we make we throw out and that’s
food we make we throw out and that’s
food we make we throw out and that’s about the weight of four thousand Empire
about the weight of four thousand Empire
about the weight of four thousand Empire State buildings or 7 million blue whales
State buildings or 7 million blue whales
State buildings or 7 million blue whales who wants to throw away seven million
who wants to throw away seven million
who wants to throw away seven million blue whales and anyways it can be kind
blue whales and anyways it can be kind
blue whales and anyways it can be kind of difficult to understand global food
of difficult to understand global food
of difficult to understand global food waste on a global scale
waste on a global scale
waste on a global scale so let me put it within the context of
so let me put it within the context of
so let me put it within the context of our own country in the u.s. seventy
our own country in the u.s. seventy
our own country in the u.s. seventy billion pounds of food is wasted every
billion pounds of food is wasted every
billion pounds of food is wasted every single year that’s about 300 pounds per
single year that’s about 300 pounds per
single year that’s about 300 pounds per person and there are a number of
person and there are a number of
person and there are a number of environmental issues that go along with
environmental issues that go along with
environmental issues that go along with food waste one of the most surprising is
food waste one of the most surprising is
food waste one of the most surprising is with regards to our own atmosphere food
with regards to our own atmosphere food
with regards to our own atmosphere food waste accounts for the largest portion
waste accounts for the largest portion
waste accounts for the largest portion of us methane emissions and to put the
of us methane emissions and to put the
of us methane emissions and to put the destructive power of methane into
destructive power of methane into
destructive power of methane into context
context
context methane is 23 times more damaging to the
methane is 23 times more damaging to the
methane is 23 times more damaging to the atmosphere than co2 so if we reduce food
atmosphere than co2 so if we reduce food
atmosphere than co2 so if we reduce food waste we reduce methane emissions there
waste we reduce methane emissions there
waste we reduce methane emissions there are also issues with regards to how we
are also issues with regards to how we
are also issues with regards to how we dispose of our waste and our landfill
dispose of our waste and our landfill
dispose of our waste and our landfill systems ok let me ask you all question
systems ok let me ask you all question
systems ok let me ask you all question how long do you think it takes for a
how long do you think it takes for a
how long do you think it takes for a head of lettuce to biodegrade in a
head of lettuce to biodegrade in a
head of lettuce to biodegrade in a landfill I want you all to come up with
landfill I want you all to come up with
landfill I want you all to come up with an answer in your head and keep it there
an answer in your head and keep it there
an answer in your head and keep it there got it
got it
got it ok well recently archaeologists have
ok well recently archaeologists have
ok well recently archaeologists have been digging around in landfills and
been digging around in landfills and
been digging around in landfills and they found heads of lettuce that were 25
they found heads of lettuce that were 25
they found heads of lettuce that were 25 years old yes you heard me right 25
years old yes you heard me right 25
years old yes you heard me right 25 years
years
years old and they also found newspapers with
old and they also found newspapers with
old and they also found newspapers with headlines about the Korean War which
headlines about the Korean War which
headlines about the Korean War which ended 65 years ago and the print was
ended 65 years ago and the print was
ended 65 years ago and the print was perfectly legible and before learning
perfectly legible and before learning
perfectly legible and before learning this I like probably most of you thought
this I like probably most of you thought
this I like probably most of you thought landfills were just one giant compost
landfills were just one giant compost
landfills were just one giant compost pile when in reality they’re more
pile when in reality they’re more
pile when in reality they’re more similar to King Tut’s tomb than a
similar to King Tut’s tomb than a
similar to King Tut’s tomb than a compost pile and this is because
compost pile and this is because
compost pile and this is because landfills don’t biodegrade food they
landfills don’t biodegrade food they
landfills don’t biodegrade food they mummify it and after learning about
mummify it and after learning about
mummify it and after learning about methane gas and the mummification of our
methane gas and the mummification of our
methane gas and the mummification of our landfills
landfills
landfills I wondered well how exactly is food
I wondered well how exactly is food
I wondered well how exactly is food wasted and the three of the most common
wasted and the three of the most common
wasted and the three of the most common ways food is wasted is over stock
ways food is wasted is over stock
ways food is wasted is over stock displays the expectation of cosmetic
displays the expectation of cosmetic
displays the expectation of cosmetic perfection and a misunderstanding about
perfection and a misunderstanding about
perfection and a misunderstanding about sell-by dates over stock displays is a
sell-by dates over stock displays is a
sell-by dates over stock displays is a problem because stores believe that
problem because stores believe that
problem because stores believe that customers are more likely to buy food if
customers are more likely to buy food if
customers are more likely to buy food if it’s from a fully stocked display they
it’s from a fully stocked display they
it’s from a fully stocked display they want to create this illusion of infinite
want to create this illusion of infinite
want to create this illusion of infinite abundance of perfect food so every time
abundance of perfect food so every time
abundance of perfect food so every time they get a new shipment they throw away
they get a new shipment they throw away
they get a new shipment they throw away the oldest and ugliest food and they
the oldest and ugliest food and they
the oldest and ugliest food and they replace it with the pretty and the new
replace it with the pretty and the new
replace it with the pretty and the new food and that goes along with the second
food and that goes along with the second
food and that goes along with the second most common way food is wasted the
most common way food is wasted the
most common way food is wasted the expectation of cosmetic perfection
expectation of cosmetic perfection
expectation of cosmetic perfection affects something called B stock and B
affects something called B stock and B
affects something called B stock and B stock is food there’s not the right size
stock is food there’s not the right size
stock is food there’s not the right size shape or color and even though B stock
shape or color and even though B stock
shape or color and even though B stock is perfectly fine for consumption most
is perfectly fine for consumption most
is perfectly fine for consumption most commonly it’s just thrown away or left
commonly it’s just thrown away or left
commonly it’s just thrown away or left on harvested and the need for cosmetic
on harvested and the need for cosmetic
on harvested and the need for cosmetic perfection is so ingrained into American
perfection is so ingrained into American
perfection is so ingrained into American society that are automatic harvest
society that are automatic harvest
society that are automatic harvest harvest machines filter out B stock and
harvest machines filter out B stock and
harvest machines filter out B stock and the third of the most common ways food
the third of the most common ways food
the third of the most common ways food is wasted is a misunderstanding of
is wasted is a misunderstanding of
is wasted is a misunderstanding of sell-by dates or anything like that like
sell-by dates or anything like that like
sell-by dates or anything like that like used by best buy and the general public
used by best buy and the general public
used by best buy and the general public just doesn’t understand that these dates
just doesn’t understand that these dates
just doesn’t understand that these dates serve to mark the date of peak freshness
serve to mark the date of peak freshness
serve to mark the date of peak freshness not the day that these foods spoil and
not the day that these foods spoil and
not the day that these foods spoil and this causes issues because grocery
this causes issues because grocery
this causes issues because grocery stores fear that customers will think
stores fear that customers will think
stores fear that customers will think that they’re selling old products and so
that they’re selling old products and so
that they’re selling old products and so they pull items out of stock several
they pull items out of stock several
they pull items out of stock several days before the
days before the
days before the by dates and I kind of want to switch
by dates and I kind of want to switch
by dates and I kind of want to switch gears and talk about some solutions now
gears and talk about some solutions now
gears and talk about some solutions now so it’s easy to feel like this problem
so it’s easy to feel like this problem
so it’s easy to feel like this problem is impossible to solve but other
is impossible to solve but other
is impossible to solve but other countries are taking steps to help
countries are taking steps to help
countries are taking steps to help reduce food waste for example France
reduce food waste for example France
reduce food waste for example France just recently banned grocery stores from
just recently banned grocery stores from
just recently banned grocery stores from throwing away food and instead require
throwing away food and instead require
throwing away food and instead require them to donate it and this shows that it
them to donate it and this shows that it
them to donate it and this shows that it is possible on a corporate and national
is possible on a corporate and national
is possible on a corporate and national level to make change also there are a
level to make change also there are a
level to make change also there are a couple steps that we can take as
couple steps that we can take as
couple steps that we can take as individuals to help reduce food waste in
individuals to help reduce food waste in
individuals to help reduce food waste in our own lives for example we can switch
our own lives for example we can switch
our own lives for example we can switch to smaller plates to help with portion
to smaller plates to help with portion
to smaller plates to help with portion control we can freeze our food eat
control we can freeze our food eat
control we can freeze our food eat leftovers and then also before you go
leftovers and then also before you go
leftovers and then also before you go grocery shopping you can check your
grocery shopping you can check your
grocery shopping you can check your pantry your fridge your cabinets and
pantry your fridge your cabinets and
pantry your fridge your cabinets and form a list so you don’t end up buying
form a list so you don’t end up buying
form a list so you don’t end up buying something you’re just gonna throw away
something you’re just gonna throw away
something you’re just gonna throw away also in your fridge try to put shorter
also in your fridge try to put shorter
also in your fridge try to put shorter foods in front of the taller foods so
foods in front of the taller foods so
foods in front of the taller foods so you don’t forget about it
you don’t forget about it
you don’t forget about it also if you can try and set your fridge
also if you can try and set your fridge
also if you can try and set your fridge to 35 degrees Fahrenheit because this
to 35 degrees Fahrenheit because this
to 35 degrees Fahrenheit because this temperature is ideal and keeps food
temperature is ideal and keeps food
temperature is ideal and keeps food freshest the longest and another thing
freshest the longest and another thing
freshest the longest and another thing and I cannot stress this enough
and I cannot stress this enough
and I cannot stress this enough do not go grocery shopping hungry
do not go grocery shopping hungry
do not go grocery shopping hungry because I know when I do this I
because I know when I do this I
because I know when I do this I literally want to buy everything I see
literally want to buy everything I see
literally want to buy everything I see and within our own school there is a
and within our own school there is a
and within our own school there is a change that we all can make when we’re
change that we all can make when we’re
change that we all can make when we’re in the cafeteria try not to use the
in the cafeteria try not to use the
in the cafeteria try not to use the trays because tray users end up wasting
trays because tray users end up wasting
trays because tray users end up wasting 32 percent more food than non tray users
32 percent more food than non tray users
32 percent more food than non tray users and I’ll admit I’m by no means perfect
and I’ll admit I’m by no means perfect
and I’ll admit I’m by no means perfect and I’m not asking to be either but a
and I’m not asking to be either but a
and I’m not asking to be either but a big part of reducing food waste is being
big part of reducing food waste is being
big part of reducing food waste is being aware and making small changes that add
aware and making small changes that add
aware and making small changes that add up to a big change and in wealthy
up to a big change and in wealthy
up to a big change and in wealthy countries like our own around 40 percent
countries like our own around 40 percent
countries like our own around 40 percent of wasted food is wasted by consumers
of wasted food is wasted by consumers
of wasted food is wasted by consumers like us so it is our responsibility as
like us so it is our responsibility as
like us so it is our responsibility as conscious consumers to take action and
conscious consumers to take action and
conscious consumers to take action and make the difference because we have more
make the difference because we have more
make the difference because we have more power than we realize so I challenge you
power than we realize so I challenge you
power than we realize so I challenge you to make at least one small change to
to make at least one small change to
to make at least one small change to your lifestyle because any action no
your lifestyle because any action no
your lifestyle because any action no matter how small can make a world of a
matter how small can make a world of a
matter how small can make a world of a difference
difference
difference thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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