Americans don't particularly care about the environmental impact of wasting food, but they do care about wasting money. And waste they do: A study by the American Chemistry Council surveyed 1,000 adults and found that respondents estimated tossing out $640 worth of household food a year. The U.S. government estimates of that same number are closer to $900.
Seventy-nine percent of those surveyed said that their primary concern with wasting food was the effect on their wallet; 45 percent said they were concerned about the world's hungry; a measly 15 percent said their concern was the environment. However, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that up to 20 percent of landfill content is uneaten food. Here's the good news, at least: 96 percent of those surveyed say they've taken one or more steps to prevent food waste.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The best new music of 2024 by genreThe Week Recommends Outstanding albums, from pop to electro and classical
-
Nine best TV shows of 2024 to binge this ChristmasThe Week Recommends From Baby Reindeer and Slow Horses to Rivals and Shogun, here are the critics' favourites
-
Crossword: December 28, 2024The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talksSpeed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tourSpeed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamationSpeed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box officeSpeed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appealSpeed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproarSpeed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
