We keep hearing about stories about hunger in the United States and in other wealthy countries, but the tragic fact about
hunger is that it is a
problem of food distribution,
not of supply. Food waste in America and elsewhere has got to stop.
In my most recent
article on The
Guardian Sustainable Business portal, I explain now some companies are starting to address this issue by charity or recycling. Target takes a more philanthropic approach, giving stores the flexibility to work with local food banks so that food is consumed by those who need it. SuperValu, the company that owns the staid Albertson’s franchise, is rolling out a pilot waste diversion program at 40 stores that churns unwanted food into animal feed, compost, or distributes it to local charities.
With 40 percent of food in the U.S. and United Kingdom wasted, food manufacturers and distributors have got to do more. Marketing gimmicks, confusing food labeling, and onerous government regulations all contribute to wasted food, wasted water, and wasted energy. The entire
article was issued today, and visit other writers’ contributions on The Guardian’s
Waste and Recycling Hub.
Read more about our coverage on corporate social responsibility (
CSR).
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