Why can't we crack our food waste problem? episode artwork

EPISODE · May 2, 2021 · 26 MIN

Why can't we crack our food waste problem?

from The Climate Question · host BBC World Service

From fruit rotting in fields, to retailers turning down funny shaped vegetables, and consumers scraping leftovers into the bin, food waste is everywhere. It’s estimated that around a third of all our food ends up not being eaten. If we could sort this, total greenhouse gas emissions would reduce by around eight percent. To put that in context, the only countries that are responsible for emissions of that size are China and the US. So, what can be done? Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar discuss fixes - big and small - and hear from a farmer in Morocco turning apples that would otherwise rot into vinegar. The first thing that needs to happen for change to start is for governments to properly count the climate cost of food waste. And that, it seems, is a long way off. Guests: Dr Tammara Soma - Research director of the Food Systems Lab at Simon Fraser University Dr Liz Goodwin - Senior fellow and director in food loss and waste at the World Resources Institute Mahacine Mokdad – journalist Presenters: Jordan Dunbar & Graihagh Jackson Producer: Olivia Noon Editor: Emma Rippon

From fruit rotting in fields, to retailers turning down funny shaped vegetables, and consumers scraping leftovers into the bin, food waste is everywhere. It’s estimated that around a third of all our food ends up not being eaten. If we could sort this, total greenhouse gas emissions would reduce by around eight percent. To put that in context, the only countries that are responsible for emissions of that size are China and the US. So, what can be done? Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar discuss fixes - big and small - and hear from a farmer in Morocco turning apples that would otherwise rot into vinegar. The first thing that needs to happen for change to start is for governments to properly count the climate cost of food waste. And that, it seems, is a long way off. Guests: Dr Tammara Soma - Research director of the Food Systems Lab at Simon Fraser University Dr Liz Goodwin - Senior fellow and director in food loss and waste at the World Resources Institute Mahacine Mokdad – journalist Presenters: Jordan Dunbar & Graihagh Jackson Producer: Olivia Noon Editor: Emma Rippon

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Why can't we crack our food waste problem?

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This episode was published on May 2, 2021.

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From fruit rotting in fields, to retailers turning down funny shaped vegetables, and consumers scraping leftovers into the bin, food waste is everywhere. It’s estimated that around a third of all our food ends up not being eaten. If we could sort...

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