The Pope Comments on Wasting Food

by Laura Heffner

When the United Nations launched their anti-food waste campaign to mark World Environment Day, Pope Francis stated "Throwing away food is like stealing from the table of those who are poor and hungry".  In a Washington Post article, he is also quoted to speak against consumerism which has made us accustomed to wasting food daily and unable to see its real value. 

When I think about all the food we throw away in our house every week, it could probably put out a four course meal for a normal-sized family.  We have reduced the amount of groceries we purchase and also we have reduced the size of the meals we cook mostly because we are trying to become healthier and lose weight but also because I felt horrible throwing away so many leftovers.  

The Pope had also mentioned the frugality of our grandparents and thinking back, yes, with mine growing up in the Depression, you did not waste food and you cleaned your plate.  With over 1.3 billion tons of food wasted each year, one can only imagine how many families that would feed who do not have enough.  At what time have you gone hungry?  It has probably been the rare occasion that was remedied within a few hours with a trip to the fast food restaurant or to your refrigerator but there are parents going without every day to make sure their children have enough to eat.  In America, that is.  I am not talking about a third world country which yes, is plagued with hunger and starvation.

Growing up poor, you made due with what you had.  You washed your clothes in the middle of the week to make sure you had enough outfits for a whole week of school.  You hoed rows in the garden to make sure you could can enough green beans for the winter.  But even then, I never went without but I think of my life today and compare it to my poor youth.  I think of the piles of clothing discarded on my childrens' bedroom floors, the closets brimming with t-shirts, jeans etc.  Somewhere along the way, I went from barely having enough to having more than I need.  Maybe it is time to rethink my own consumerism...