10 Mind-Blowing Facts About Food Waste In America

The folks at Sealed Air recently released the results of their 2014 Food Waste Survey, and the numbers are stunning. While the global demand for food has increased exponentially as the population of developing countries skyrockets, more than a third of all the food produced in the U.S. is simply thrown in the garbage. And while Americans are increasingly aware of the issue of food waste, a shocking percentage of them refuse to admit that they're a part of the problem. 

Each year Americans throw away more than 50 million tons of food. That's more than 20 percent of all municipal garbage, and the largest contributor to landfills. 

We waste more than 25 percent of our fresh, potable water. Turn the tap off when you're brushing your teeth!

Waste costs the average household $2,000 per year. 

The amount of food wasted per person has doubled in the last 40 years.

$160 billion of food is wasted in the US every year.

160 trillion calories are wasted every year.

The food wasted in America each year could provide 3 meals a day for 172 million people, and lift 10 times that amount out of hunger. 

Only 34 percent of grocery shoppers are concerned about food waste in their own household, but nearly 50 percent admit that consumers are a part of the problem. 

30 percent acknowledge that their household wastes more than it should. The actual percentage of those that waste food is much higher than that; 78 percent say that they've thrown away food in the past 6 months. 

Packaging contributes to food preservation, not waste. Nearly 90 percent of shoppers think packaging material is more harmful to the environment than discarded food, but in reality shrink-wrapping a cucumber can expand its shelf life by nearly two weeks, vastly increasing its chances of not being wasted.