Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

6. Food-Related Choices and Actions

6.1. About three in four Americans throw out uneaten or spoiled food because they no longer want it or it went bad.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, about one-third of the food produced globally for human consumption is lost or wasted every year, accounting for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions related to human activity.http://www.fao.org/save-food/resources/keyfindings/en/ Food loss refers to food that spills or spoils before it reaches the consumer, and food waste refers to food that reaches retailers or the consumer but is not consumed. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that food loss and waste account for 30% to 40% of the U.S. food supply.https://www.usda.gov/foodwaste/faqs

About three in four Americans throw out uneaten or spoiled food “sometimes” (42%), “often” (24%), or “always” (10%) because they no longer want it or it went bad. Only about one in four Americans say they do so “rarely” (21%) or “never” (2%).

Nearly three in ten Americans compost food waste either “sometimes” (14%), “often” (9%) or “always” (6%). However, a majority of Americans say they “rarely” (16%) or “never” (56%) compost food waste.

6.2. Most Americans rarely or never look for information about the environmental impact of foods and/or talk to family and friends about it.

About one in three Americans look for information about the environmental impact of different products and/or foods either “sometimes” (24%), “often” (10%), or “always” (2%). However, most Americans say they do so “rarely” (30%) or “never” (35%). Three in ten Americans talk to family and friends about the environmental impact of different products and/or foods either “sometimes” (21%), “often” (8%), or “always” (1%), while most Americans say they do so “rarely” (31%) or “never” (39%).

6.3. Most Americans buy food grown or produced locally sometimes or more often.

Nearly one in three Americans say they buy food grown or produced locally either “often” (28%) or “always” (4%) and an additional 46% of Americans say they do so “sometimes.” About one in five Americans say they either “rarely” (16%) or “never” (6%) buy locally sourced food.

6.4. About one in four Americans have rewarded food companies for their environmental actions at least once in the past year by buying their products.

About one in four Americans (27%) say they have rewarded food companies that are taking steps to reduce their impact on the environment by buying their products at least once in the last 12 months. About one in five Americans (21%) say they have punished food companies that are not taking steps to reduce their impact on the environment by not buying their products. However, most Americans say they have “never” rewarded (62%) or punished (69%) food companies for their environmental actions.