Food waste has negative impacts such as contributing to climate change, pollution, and depleting water resources. It also affects food production and farming practices. There are two categories of food waste - avoidable and unavoidable. Avoidable waste occurs due to overproduction, improper serving sizes, or expired food, while unavoidable waste includes inedible parts like bones or peels. However, unavoidable waste can be composted. To reduce food waste, individuals should carefully plan meals, only buy what they need, create awareness of the issue, and compost inedible parts at home.

1. Love food…
hate waste…
- Vijayaraghava K.

2. Impacts of food waste
• Climate change/global warming
• Pollution
• Food production/supply chain
• Farming practices
• Depleting water resource

4. Water consumption
1 gallon = 3.78 liters

5. Categories of food waste
• Avoidable
– commercial point of view, avoidable food waste may
include damaged/rotten/expired food stock or produce
that has not been used prior to retailing or sold-out
– This may occur due to overproduction, erratic serving
sizes, poor quality, etc
• Unavoidable
– food that cannot be eaten or sold out, includes waste from
poultry, fish bones, fat and skin, shellfish/egg shells, tea
bags and coffee grounds, fruit/vegetable peels, pips and
stones
– But these can be used for composting to be used
as organic fertilizers rather than just to be dumped into
the bins

6. Steps to avoid/reduce/manage food
waste
• In the households
– Learn to shop and cook smartly, and save
– careful planning before bringing food products to
your pantry/kitchen
– sensible whilst organizing any party or social
gathering
– Create awareness of the importance of food and
the impact of food waste
– Create your own compost at your premises to
make fertilizers for your gardens