In America, 41 million people struggle with putting food on the table, according to Feeding America. Yet, 30 to 40 percent of the food we produce in the United States is ultimately thrown away. America throws away more than 38 million tons of food every year, which is the weight of 104 Empire State Buildings, according to a 2014 Environmental Protection Agency study.  Not only is it excessive, it is costing about $218 billion per year, according to Natural Resources Defense Council report.

There is waste throughout the journey of farm to table. First, roughly seven percent of the produce that’s grown in the United States gets left in the fields, according to the Washington Post. There doesn’t have to be extreme weather events for crops to be wasted. In fact, one of the main reasons for this waste is because it doesn’t meet standards for shape and color.

The United States Department of Agriculture has specific grades and standards which can contribute to consumer’s high aesthetic standards for food. For example, a peach farmer explained to NRDC that some of his peaches are not visually perfect to the USDA standards and this drives the price down. Since it cost money to harvest a field, the farmer would have to pay more to harvest and transport the peach than he would receive in revenue. These completely edible, yet visually imperfect peaches never leave the farm.

Secondly, there is waste in grocery stores. The USDA estimated that supermarkets toss out $15 billion worth of unsold fruits and vegetables alone each year. Part of this waste is caused by stores over stocking their shelves because they would rather overstock and throw the rest out than look empty. Referencing the last point, stores throw out produce that do not look perfect because consumers will most likely not buy a bruised-up banana if a perfect one is right next to it.

Often, this perfectly edible food ends up in landfills instead of on plates of people in need. One reason for this is because stores mistakenly think they will be sued for donating food if it makes someone sick. However, there are laws that protect people and corporations if they donate in good faith, according to Business Insider. Another reason is the logistics. Many stores don’t have space to store the leftovers until agencies come to pick it up, or they are not exactly sure where to donate.

Many countries around the world are working to help this problem.  Supermarkets in France started selling their “ugly” produce at a 30 percent discount and encouraging shoppers to eat misshapen fruits and vegetables that are just as delicious, according to the Daily Mail.

In addition, France declared it illegal for grocery stores to throw out food that is nearing its expiration date. The stores can either compost or donate, according to the Huffington Post.

There is much confusion around expiration dates. Most stores in America pull items off the shelves two to three days before the sell by date even if the food is still edible. For consumers, these dates can be confusing since sometimes it says sell by; other times it says best by; and other times it is just a date. These dates cost American consumers almost $30 billion annually, but standardizing data labels could prevent eight million pounds of good, safe food from being wasted, according to National Geographic. In a recent national survey, 84 percent of Americans throw away food based on the date stamped on packages. Certain food can or cannot last past the date based on if it is stored correctly. So, instead of just using the dates, National Geographic suggest trusting one’s own smell, sight and taste.

Another place where food is wasted is at restaurants. Due to large portion sizes, diners leave on average 17 percent of their food uneaten, according to an NRDC report. There is even more waste in chain fast food restaurants that have stiff rules forcing them to toss edible food. For instance, McDonalds requires fries to be thrown out after seven minutes causing 1/10 of fast food to be wasted, according to the Washington Post.

Finally, food is wasted in our own homes. The average family wastes 20 percent of their groceries, according to the NRDC. One relatively easy way shoppers can decrease their food waste is by bringing a list of what to buy. That way you don’t impulse buy and you can decrease the chances of buying something you already have.

The food we waste leaves a large environmental footprint, especially because only three percent of the food thrown out in the U.S. is composted, according to the Washington Post. Most end up in landfills, where they decompose and release methane, a powerful heat- trapping greenhouse gas.

When food is sent to a landfill, other resources are being lost also. Farmers and producers use around 25 percent of all of America’s fresh water just to produce food that is never eaten, according to Food Forward.

Another way to decrease food waste is storing food in the best way possible, according to the EPA. For example, many fruits give off natural gases as they ripen, making other nearby produce spoil faster. So, try to store fruits and vegetables in different bins. Also, wait to wash berries until you are about to eat them to prevent mold. In addition, save leftovers and try to eat them. Try to make meals with food that is about to expire; so you can eat it before it goes bad. Lastly, instead of tossing food out that will end up in a landfill; try composting or donating to local food banks.

All this wasted food could feed 25 million Americans, according to Do Something. That is more than half of all the people who need food in America. If we are committed to trying to decrease food waste we could decrease our environmental footprint, save natural resources and help hungry people in our community.