Conscious consumption is a term referring to participating in the economy with heightened awareness of how your purchases impact society and the environment. Collectively, we need to try and find ways to make more conscious, sustainable purchases that benefit the world and those around us. Here is one example of how we can effectively reduce our food waste in a simple, time-saving manner!
Food Waste in America
An incredible amount of valuable resources go to waste every year in America due to the amount of food that goes unsold or uneaten. In the United States alone, every year 35% of food grown is uneaten, 24% of what goes into landfills is food, and $408 billion worth of food goes to waste. Imperfect foods are a large factor in the waste of the food supply. Imperfect foods look slightly different than you would expect a certain produce item to look, despite tasting the exact same. However, because they do not fit the traditional look they are thrown away instead of being sold. Thankfully, a company called Imperfect Foods has created a solution to this food waste problem.
Imperfect Food Services
Imperfect Foods provides online grocery services for these "ugly" foods, sending affordable groceries weekly. Imperfect Foods offers produce, snacks, plant-based food, dairy, meat, fish, and more. They curate orders to match exactly what you need to make grocery shopping much easier and faster. You can add or remove items from your curated list each week to fit your exact needs. It is free to sign up for Imperfect Foods, with no subscription costs or hidden fees. Items are priced individually just like a regular grocery store. You are only charged for your groceries when they arrive at your doorstep.
Harms of Food Waste
Food waste that ends up in landfills contributes to the current climate change crisis that is endangering our planet. Food that sits in landfills releases methane, which is a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere. Food waste contributes to 11% of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to its contribution to climate change, it wastes valuable water and energy needed to produce the food. The largest portion of food waste comes from individuals' homes, with 43%. This shows how individuals play a part in addressing the issue of food waste. Conscious consumption of produce through Imperfect Foods carries many benefits in addressing this problem.
Benefits of Conscious Food Consumption
Using Imperfect Foods provides many sustainable benefits. So far, Imperfect foods has saved 172 million pounds of food from going to waste by selling these "ugly" items. One year as an Imperfect Foods customer will save about 300 pounds of food, over 9000 gallons of water, and about 200 pounds of CO2 emissions. In addition to delivering imperfect foods to your door step, your groceries are delivered in 100% recycled boxes. Once your order is delivered to your doorstep, Imperfect Foods takes back the packaging to take care of the reusing or recycling themselves. To save CO2 emissions, groceries are delivered to your entire neighborhood in one trip with one van.
Check out the Imperfect Foods Website
Conscious consumption of food is vital to reducing the problem of food waste in the United States, and Imperfect foods has supplied an easy, affordable, and delicious way to make your mark.