1. FOOD WASTE: THE COSTS HIDDEN The environmental cost The human cost
The ‘priceless’ cost

2. The Hidden Environmental Cost
When we throw food away or see photos of mountains of food, which never even see the aisles of a supermarket, are we aware of the hidden environmental costs? The water used in the making of that food? The powerful greenhouse gas, methane, produced by cattle or the rotting food waste? The carbon footprint of transporting this food around the world? The huge amount of land given over to the production of this wasted food?

3. The Environmental Cost: The water footprint
We do not see the water in the food we eat.
Who knows, for example, that you need litres of water to produce 1 kg of beef?
Or 960 litres for a loaf of bread?
Or 50 litres for an orange?

4. The Environmental Cost: The water footprint
We need to think of the hidden water footprint before we, or others, throw away food. In Malta, this is especially important because our water supply is limited.
A cheese sandwich takes about 210 litres of water - so these are wasted if you don’t eat your lunch.

5. 30% of the world’s agricultural
The Environmental Cost: The Land Footprint
Another hidden cost:
30% of the world’s agricultural
land area is used to produce food
that will be wasted.

6. The Environmental Cost: The Carbon Footprint and the Wasted Energy
When we waste food we waste the energy used to process, produce, transport, store and cook the food. This also produces the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide.

7. The Environmental Cost: The Methane Footprint
Methane is another powerful greenhouse gas. It has a warming potential 25 times that of carbon dioxide. It is released from livestock during their normal digestion process.

8. The Environmental Cost: The Methane Footprint
Methane is also emitted from rotting food. When food rots, bacteria break it down and release methane into the atmosphere.