According to the UNEP Food Waste Index Report, one billion meals are lost daily to food waste. This is hard to imagine, as when throwing out your leftovers, you don’t think it can tally up. Moreover, 70% of restaurant wasted food comes from customers not finishing their meals. These extremely high numbers have catastrophic effects, with food waste generating up to 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

As a community, we must do a better job finishing our food. At lunch, watch the trash can and see how much food students throw away. After, think about the amount of people that wasted food could have fed. This reality we live in stems from the privilege we have as private school students. Not understanding this privilege we have these incredibly high numbers, with Taher saying they throw away 50 pounds of food daily. Reform is needed, and it starts with us. Managing portions and thinking about those who would jump at the opportunity to eat a plate of rice is the start of something bigger. Understanding when your stomach is full and passing on seconds is how food waste can be limited. Passing up on a cheap deal for more food is how food waste can be limited. All these methods depend on us. Knowing the detrimental effects of throwing away that small plate of noodles is the awareness our community needs.

Many students throw away everything in their plate in the trash bin, without noticing a compost and recycling next to it. The reformation is in front of us, but it is up to us to capitalize on it. The world’s environment is deteriorating, and you may not think about it, but the amount of food you waste has a damaging effect.

Hennepin County has a population of 1.259 million, and each person wastes 97 meals yearly. Mindfulness and awareness are key to making drastic changes. Finding a local food bank and donating can have extreme benefits, even if you think you yourself can’t bring a change. It’s a concept similar to voting. Many people believe their one vote won’t change anything, however, if everyone went out and voted, the effects would be seen. Going out and making changes does make a difference, and it starts with us.