Turkey Isn't Trash

For many people, Thanksgiving means big family meals and lots of leftovers. But consider this: In the time it takes to read this sentence, Americans will have thrown away 20,000 pounds of food!

Food waste is a big issue in the world today. We throw away more food than any other type of trash. More than one-fifth of the garbage in U.S. landfills is discarded food. 

Many people eat big family meals on Thanksgiving. Those big meals create a lot of leftovers. But consider this: Americans will have thrown away 20,000 pounds of food in the time it takes to read this sentence!

Food waste is a big issue in the world today. We throw away more food than any other type of trash. More than one-fifth of the garbage in U.S. landfills is discarded food.

Thanksgiving is no exception when it comes to food waste. An estimated 204 million pounds of turkey will end up in the trash after Turkey Day. 

Throwing out leftovers has a serious impact on the environment. Rotting food produces methane. This powerful greenhouse gas gets trapped in the atmosphere and contributes to climate change, a gradual rise in Earth’s average temperature.

Food waste is a problem on Thanksgiving too. An estimated 204 million pounds of turkey will end up in the trash after this holiday.

Throwing out leftovers has a serious impact on the environment. Rotting food produces methane. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas. The gas gets trapped in Earth’s atmosphere. The trapped gas contributes to climate change. Climate change is a gradual rise in Earth’s average temperature.

Waste occurs at all levels of the food chain: on farms, in facilities that process food, and in supermarkets and restaurants. But people’s habits at home are the main source of food waste. Americans waste enough food to fill 44 skyscrapers every year!

Despite all this excess food, millions of people are still going hungry. An estimated 1 in every 6 Americans struggle to get enough to eat. 

Waste occurs at all levels of the food chain. It happens on farms. It happens in places that process food. It also happens in supermarkets and restaurants. But people’s habits at home are the main source of food waste. Americans waste enough food to fill 44 skyscrapers every year!

Millions of people are still going hungry despite this excess food. An estimated one in every six Americans struggle to get enough to eat.

Many organizations are working on the food waste problem. For example, in the Food Bus program, students collect leftover food from school lunches. Volunteers then take the unopened food to local food pantries.

“It’s really up to us to do something about food waste,” says Elise Golan of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “We are in the driver’s seat.”

Many organizations are working on the food waste problem. Students in the Food Bus program collect leftover food from school lunches. Volunteers then take the unopened food to local food pantries.

“It’s really up to us to do something about food waste,” says Elise Golan of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “We are in the driver’s seat.”