10x20x30
The 10x20x30 is a food initiative plan that was signed in September of 2019 to help reduce food waste worldwide. The 10 represents ten of the largest food distributors in the world (like Kroger, Walmart, Tesco, etc.). The 20 indicates that each distributor has to get twenty of their suppliers on board with the plan as well. Lastly, the 30 symbolizes that this plan will be made effective by the year 2030. In order for this plan to reach the desired success, 50% of food waste needs to be reduced.
The Facts
According to the UN Environment, approximately 30% of available food in the world gets thrown out, unharvested, or wasted every year. This amount of food waste worldwide equates to about $940 billion, and the U.S. alone is responsible for wasting approximately $48.3 billion worth of food annually. However, the negative impact of food waste reaches beyond the unnecessary and dramatic loss of money. An immense amount of energy, accompanied by land, water, and other resources, are poured into the production of food. These factors contribute to greenhouse gas emissions which eventually lead to global warming.
The Logistics
Even though food companies are responsible for the food waste that occurs, the majority of food waste comes from the consumers themselves. In order to combat this issue, the big retail companies involved in this plan are taking the initiative and trying to prevent the consumers from having such a strong influence on the amount of food wasted. They are implementing better practices within their companies and evaluating their packaging, labeling, and portion sizes to
decrease the amount of waste that is occurring. Because all of these companies have the same goal, they are all sharing relevant information with each other. If one company finds a solution to a problem or notices that something is not as effective as they had hoped for, they will share it with the other members. With many developing countries around the world struggling to get food, these companies are trying to redistribute and combat world hunger. It is important for all consumers to evaluate the amount of food they are personally wasting and whether or not they could alter parts of their lifestyle for the greater good. Strategies to reduce waste include eating leftovers, composting food scraps, taking uneaten food home from restaurants, only buying food that will be eaten, and becoming educated about the importance of food waste.
Sources:
https://www.wri.org/news/2019/09/release-major-food-retailers-providers-join-new-10x20 x30-food-loss-and-waste-initiative https://www.unenvironment.org/thinkeatsave/get-informed/worldwide-food-waste https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2020/09/23/nearly-200-of-the-wor lds-biggest-food-suppliers-pledge-to-halve-their-food-waste/
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