Household Food Waste: How Bad can it be?

By: Francheska Nicole Rodriguez 

Factors directly leading to food waste reduction intention and food waste reduction behavior: perceived values on sustainability, awareness of consequences, ascription of responsibility, social norms, and anticipated guilt. Figure taken from Ma et al. 2023.

    We all grow up hearing the following phrase: "Do not throw away your food!".  Many of us simply brushed it off by sarcastically whispering, "How bad can it be?". Little did we know, throwing away food is a serious environmental issue. To be more specific, a recent study  demonstrated that household food waste is now known to be the leading cause of global food waste. This is concerning because global food waste is one of many factors that increase global warming. An article written by Ma and colleagues addressed and brought forth potential sustainable solutions to alleviate global food waste. Their first step was to investigate the driving force that lead Chinese households to decrease their household food waste. Researchers were able to unveil it by obtaining 1090 valid responses from a questionnaire given to individuals from Chinese households. They were questioned in their regard for environmental consequences, responsibility to protect the environment, intentions to reduce food waste, and their behaviors that drove them to reduce food waste. The anticipative driving force showcased itself to be awareness of their consequences! As a result of this, Chinese households began to be more conservative in terms of food consumption. Although this study was only conducted in China, partaking in their environmental sustainability practices can be spread towards other countries by simply bringing awareness. This in turn can then begin to unveil new methods towards approaching food waste on a more clear and global scale. Next time you think of purchasing more food than needed and/or throwing away excess amounts of food, will you think, "How Bad can it be?" or will you take action?

Ma Y, Mamun AA, Ali MH, Hoque ME, Lili Z. 2023. Modeling the intention and adoption of food waste prevention practices among chinese households. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 10:1-12. doi: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02348-9