No one on this planet should be hungry, but 800 million people are starving across the globe. The only reason that these people are going hungry is due to those in power that allow food distribution and allocation be based on a capitalist system.
There is ample food. Before food spoils, it should be given for free to those in need or it will simply end up wasted, but this is what elected officials and corporations support.
One-third of food that is produced is wasted or destroyed after it is farmed.
When a person walks into a huge supermarket in the US and witnesses the magnitude of food available, anyone can surmise that there is no way that all of that food is sold. What happens to most of it when it hits the expiration mark is that it gets tossed in the garbage. There’s several simple fixes for this that stores and the government could employ that would allow food to be given to individuals and families that are in need, but neither want to address hunger because they benefit from this oppressive system. They need everyone desperate to work and not have the access to free food because they fear that people will then opt to not work which would deprive them of labor. What the rational for the denial of giving food away to capitalize off of labor fails to realize is that employees would do a better job and be happier overall if they did not have to worry about making sure they have enough food on their table. That money could be then spent on healthcare needs and housing, which would alleviate huge economic issues for those who are struggling financially.
It’s not just about giving food away, but also lowering the cost of food if such a large magnitude is thrown out. Food prices are skyrocketing because of greed and climate change. Even with as much as a third being wasted and never eaten, it would behoove companies that sell and produce food products to lower those prices to entice consumers to purchase these goods so that it ensures that it is eaten and makes its way to those who will eat it.
There is now a push back against free school lunches in many states. As an educator having seen the impact that food access has on students education, it is backwards, punitive, and unethical to withhold food from a child. Parents across the US are hurting financially. Rent is increasing. Despite the statistics of workers being paid more, the truth is that they are not and the stats are skewed due to the inclusion of CEO’s pay increasing. Every aspect of a person’s paycheck has been affected by capitalist greed whether it be healthcare, insurance, transportation, or housing costs.
So if food could be given away to those who need it, why is it not? Because the elite and those in power do not want those who are struggling to no longer be struggling. They benefit from starving the hungry. It is a form of leverage. It is a form of oppression. This is why there are cities that are requiring drug tests to receive food stamps.
What also must be addressed is our own personal waste and not purchasing food that will not be consumed in our households. We all buy too much food. I am guilty of this and I need to regulate my purchases better so that I do not throw out food. What our community’s should provide is a way for households to donate food that is purchased and will not be used so it can be redistributed to individuals. The issue is that most food kitchen’s will not accept food unless it is from a major food drive. To donate, they want money and not our food which cuts out a massive swath of food that could be eaten and used.
What we need in all grocery stores across the US is a refrigerated section for food donations so that people who have food that they cannot eat, have a place to donate their food before it goes to waste. The grocery stores then can add to what individuals donate if there is food that is not being purchased, the store can donate that food as well. It is hard for people to get to the food banks to donate what they will not eat, but if there was a simple drop-off section in every store, people would be bringing their unused food in because no one likes the feeling of throwing food away that was never eaten or used.
Food banks- accept our food. Obviously money donations are necessary, but as finances become more and more constricted, less and less are able to donate money. Make it easier for households to donate their food. Encourage people to bring their unused products to the donation centers and set up places in stores for everyone to donate their food and not just their money.
While many food programs accept the food from restaurants, that does not account for the food that is never used by individuals which should be made accessible to those who are food insecure.
Donations are down. People are hungry. We should not ever be facing this problem.
Reduce waste, open up individual food donations, and never deprive people of the most basic need that could easily be rectified.
All of the untouched food that makes its way to landfills accelerates the production of methane which then affects climate change. The more food that goes uneaten, the hotter that country is due to the significant amount of methane that is produced from food waste.
One thing we can all do is think twice before we purchase and refrain from buying. With up to 40% of all edible food being wasted, we can all do better.
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