Food, Waste & World Population

Every once in awhile, I find an article that strikes me and draws my attention into a topic or two that I really start thinking about.

 I stumbled on this article the other day, and I thought "Wow! What the hell are we doing?!"

http://www.dw.de/one-third-of-worlds-food-wasted-each-year-un-says/a-17083367
Really? We are wasting how much food?!?!

As Americans I know we fall into this wastefulness partially actively by purchasing more food than we could possibly eat. We've all seen the newspaper ad/coupons where you buy one-get one free or $1 off when you buy three. Do I really need three boxes of noodles as a single person, who often eats less than one meal a day at home? I have purchased more food than I need and spent three times more than I intended/needed to just to use the coupon/advertised price. And I will probably not eat this food while the food is at its best.

It really isn't a bargain in the end.

Also we passively waste with the amount of food in our portions while eating out. On Sunday, I purposely turned down adding a side salad to my meal for the discounted price, because I knew I already had more on my plate than I could possibly eat. But turning down the "bargain" isn't always that easy, so we take the extra food, which we will not eat. The portion sizes in general are completely out of control.

Now for me, I think that the number of those suffering from hunger is what strikes me as the most amazing...makes me the most angry. It has been many years (probably since college) that I have had to actually put thought into where my next meal would be coming from and how I would pay for it. I cannot imagine that being part of my life as an adult let alone a child.

We turn a blind eye to those around us that are going hungry. We don't recognize that there are people in our own towns, on our blocks who do not have enough food. Even those who see it staring them in the face ignore it. Now this isn't just a mid-American problem, but if we focus on those around us, eventually that it will ripple out across the nation and world.

In 2000 I worked in a school program with kids from a wide range of economic backgrounds; there were two sisters in first and second grade that made me want to cry every day. Just at a glance, you could see they were hungry and poor. They were the oldest of the five children in their family. During our all day programs, I learned that at 7 and 8 years old, they were so concerned with food that they kept half their packed lunch (a cheese sandwich) "for supper tonight." Can you imagine that?! But what made me angry during this time was the arrogance and mean spirited-ness that came about in regards to them from adults. Each day the program provided a snack to the kids, and during Christmas break they over estimated how much food we needed. Well, I decided to slip these two little girls a little extra. When my boss found out, she came into my school and chewed me out about it. There was no reasoning with her about how the food would go bad and they needed to eat. Her response only made me more angry; she even mentioned that the program was on a sliding payscale and they didn't pay anything to be there. I was fuming by the time she left as was one of my employees who witnessed this. She not only ignored their hunger, but punished them because it. Treated them like they were worth less because of their economic status and hunger.

Now if we are wasting a third of the food produced now, what are we going to do when the Earth's population is 9 billion? Why are we allowing this much food to be wasted? Why are we allowing people, families, kids to go hungry while this happens?

I truly believe that when people do not have to worry about where their next meal is going to come from, they are happier, more productive and can focus on living a better life. Hunger drives many of the world's problems. Violence grows out of this basic need. It might not seem connected, but if you are starving, you will fight to get food. Whether it is full on war or rebellion or domestic stress and violence. If you need to put your all energy and thoughts on food, you are unable to learn, work, interact happily.

As for the environment impact, I believe if we put the focus on feeding those who need it and not wasting this will help with this part of a growing issue. Perhaps even create minimum waste. But at the same time, the methods used to produce this wasted food needs to be changed. Deforestation and water use are not doing us any favors.

So I guess some options for me to work on this will be:
*Actively reduce waste through shopping critically
*Donating extra food, if/when I over purchase food
*Actively reduce waste through better choices while eating out, asking for smaller portions & actually eating my leftovers
*Continue to compost my scraps
*Eat foods that are grown and produced closer to home

So far, so good

I've been doing fairly well with the treadmill. Lost some weight, lost some inches, and feeling better! I've moved up to being able to it for longer and faster. Hooray! Hoping that I will be ready for vacation in June. Feel good while I wander the streets of New Orleans. :)

Update

It's been one week, and I have been very good with using my new treadmill. I took measurements to start and remeasured this afternoon. I've been doing pretty well and have made progress. Hooray! Now to keep up the good work. I've also been being really good about packing my lunch for work. Baby steps to healthier living.

2013!

It's that time of year again!

Time for some ideas of what I am going to work on this year.

I might keep them to start working on them a little at a time. I am thinking, if I focus on making one thing a habit at a time, I will be more likely to follow through.

So I won't be beginning all at once, but these are the themes of what I am hoping to work on for this year and upcoming years.

Live Healthy
 -I have gone ahead and ordered a treadmill. The new rule will be that I cannot watch tv unless I am walking on the treadmill.
-Pack a healthy lunch.
-Eat more real food.
-Eat less processed food.

Live With Less
-Clutter
-Debt
-Weight
-Mindlessness

Live With More
-Passion
-Strength
-Travel & Entertainment
-Reading

Why oh why?

Why oh why do people expect me to go above and beyond for them? Do they just expect it of me, cuz I give of myself easily? Do they expect this of everyone else? Do they assume I will do it for them? Do they appreciate what I do for them? Most of the time, I don't even think of it, but just do some things cuz they need to be done and they asked for my help. It is something that someone needs done, help with or would just plain be a good thing to do for them. Nice, helpful, loving. The problem is that although I give without thinking, when I do ask for a simple helpful hand/favor, my thoughtfullness is rewarded with lame excuses and outright lies. I give without questioning. I assume, if you ask, it is because you need me. I truly think that it is expected of me, but not of themselves. More and more I see people do this to me. I am not a person who asks often or even really expects anything in return for being good to my friends, but the responses recently are more than annoying. It has become downright insulting. The simplest things are met with insulting responses. The medium things are rewarded with an outright ridiculous answer. Good thing I haven't needed anything remotely large. Someone might fake their own effing death to get out of it. That's my annoyance of the week. Month. Year.

35 Years n this Earth

Tomorrow is my 35th birthday! Can you believe it?! I can still remember thinking 20 was old. ha! What a little perspective can do for you. :) Nothing big and exciting to report on the home front. Just a lot of lounging with Teeny Weeny and trying to keep warm. Which brings me to a newish idea that I am bouncing around. Moving to someplace that is not ungodly cold in the Winter! I have thought of a few places. Here is some brainstorming. Savannah, GA-Warm, easy to get home, easier for visitors. Brisbane, Australia-Warm, laid back way of life, but harder to get home and have visitors Southern Europe-Warmer than here, easy travel for me and others, closer to so much. There are many, many ideas, and I really need to stop watching House Hunters International. It gives me too many ideas and makes me want to go so bad. In order for any ideas to become reality, I have a lot of work to do. Lots of money to save.

Happy New Year!

It's 2011, and things are going to be AWESOME this year! Going to make some changes and they will all be good. No big resolutions, but some things for the better. A couple little changes to diet, activity and location. Hoping to get some big changes in motion, but going to start small.

Currently looking for an apartment and that is the one big change. Lots of options, but don't want to get into too much trouble getting a place that costs too much, is a icky neighborhood, not what I really want. Taking my time, so that I can find just the right place. It's going to be hard to find space where I can work on my projects and in a close neighborhood that I really like.

Here's to hoping a good place and making good changes. :)