Food Waste: The Climate Solution Sitting in Your Trash Can

In the United States, climate change is polarizing, but one environmental challenge draws rare bipartisan agreement: food waste. Even as the Trump administration rolls back key climate and environmental protections, in July, senators from both parties reintroduced legislation to simplify food expiration labels — one longtime driver of unnecessary waste. In September, the Environmental Protection Agency launched a national initiative to connect food donors with communities and keep edible food out of landfills. Under the Biden administration, the U.S. unveiled a national strategy to reduce food waste and expand recycling of organic waste.

Despite this rare consensus, progress has been slow. In 2023, the U.S. still squandered roughly a third of its food supply, according to the food waste nonprofit ReFED. Food waste is responsible for 8-10% of all global emissions — about five times the emissions from the entire aviation industry. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that if food waste were a country, it would be the world’s third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, after China and the U.S.

Experts tell Sentient that the problem persists because political follow-through is limited, climate action still focuses heavily on energy and transportation and ultimately, food waste itself is difficult to tackle. It occurs at every stage of the supply chain, from farms to fridges, making comprehensive action essential.

It’s also a missed opportunity, especially since wasting food is widely seen as wrong. “Nobody wakes up wanting to waste food,” said Dana Gunders, president of ReFED, during a summit at New York City Climate Week on September 22.