Small steps to reduce food waste

The document outlines the environmental and financial costs of food waste in the US, noting that nearly half of all waste occurs in homes. It provides actionable advice on food preservation, such as freezing and reinvigorating produce, and encourages users to challenge 'best before' labels and support legislative action in Congress.

• Food waste in the United States has significant economic and environmental consequences: nearly 31% of food goes uneaten, costing the average household $3,000 annually. Environmentally, food waste contributes approximately 10% of greenhouse gas emissions, which is four times the emissions produced by global airlines.
• The production of food that is eventually wasted consumes vast natural resources, including land equivalent to the combined size of New York and California and enough water to fill 9 million Olympic-sized swimming pools.
• Household behavior is a primary driver of the problem, as nearly 50% of all food waste takes place within the home.
• Consumers can reduce waste by using specific preservation techniques, such as using ice water baths for wilting lettuce, freezing brown bananas for smoothies, and freezing various raw or cooked items in dated, labeled portions.
• Many 'best by,' 'sell by,' and 'best before' labels are not indicators of food safety, and consumers are encouraged to trust their senses or use the FoodKeeper App to determine freshness.

APA

WWF International (n.d.). Small steps to reduce food waste. https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/tips/small-steps-to-reduce-food-waste/

Chicago

WWF International. Small steps to reduce food waste. n.d. https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/tips/small-steps-to-reduce-food-waste/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Small steps to reduce food waste |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/tips/small-steps-to-reduce-food-waste/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternationalndsmall, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Small steps to reduce food waste}}, institution = {WWF International}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/tips/small-steps-to-reduce-food-waste/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }