{"id":134367,"date":"2015-07-29T10:30:36","date_gmt":"2015-07-29T15:30:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.austincnm.com\/?p=134367"},"modified":"2015-07-30T10:03:45","modified_gmt":"2015-07-30T15:03:45","slug":"spiritual-implications-of-wasting-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2015\/07\/spiritual-implications-of-wasting-food\/","title":{"rendered":"Spiritual Implications of Wasting Food"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Spiritual<\/p>\n

Growing up in the rural plains of the Texas panhandle, I was familiar with many farm animals. There were several times when I knew or had at least seen the animal that became our\u00a0meal. Some people don’t like that, but it gave me a great appreciation for food. Knowing that the animal gave its life so that we could be nourished raised the gravity of wasting this gift. Now that I live more disconnected from my food source in an urban lifestyle, it’s easier to forget this important lesson.<\/p>\n

A recent study<\/a> revealed a shocking situation in America. The average American household is wasting approximately $640 a year on groceries. This is only an estimated average, but it\u2019s a startling number and focus on our collective waste.<\/p>\n

We have become so complacent with our easy access to food that it doesn\u2019t bother us to throw out about \u00a030-40% of the food in the USA<\/a>. Even from just a practical perspective, these numbers should shock us.<\/p>\n

The Numbers<\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201cIn the United States, 31 percent\u2014or 133 billion pounds\u2014of the 430 billion pounds of the available food supply at the retail and consumer levels in 2010 went uneaten. The estimated value of this food loss was $161.6 billion using retail prices. For the first time, ERS estimated the calories associated with food loss: 141 trillion in 2010, or 1,249 calories per capita per day.\u201d<\/p>\n

– Study from the USDA<\/a>: (Released in February 2014)<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cOver 90% of Americans may be prematurely tossing food because they misinterpret expiration date.\u201d<\/p>\n

–\u00a0Report from Harvard Law School\u2019s Food Law and Policy Clinic and the Natural Resources Defense Council<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In the US, 14.3 percent (17.5 million households) were food insecure in 2013. This mean they had a difficulty at some time during the year providing enough food for all their members due to a lack of resources.<\/p>\n

– USDA Report: \u00a0Household Food Security in the United States in 2013<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n