Are college students ignorant on the issue of food waste? Find Out for Yourself

Does food waste even matter to the average SUNY student? Or is trying to have a "unique" style more important? [ Opinion ]

American students waste a ridiculous amount of food per day. That's a well-known fact. As according to the Food Recovery Network, college campus dining leads to 22 million pounds of food waste yearly. And students are rightfully guilty of contributing to these numbers because of their ignorance. They'll often buy unnecessary food in bulk and fill up their fridges (or their dorming hall's common fridge) or they'll fill up their trays with large amounts of food because they're indecisive, overwhelmed by the food options, or overestimate how hungry they're causing food waste. This needs to stop, as the consequences are seen everywhere. For example, the Coed's fridge in the basement, is stockpiled with different food containers, meal boxes, and snacks that students will not go back to, are already expired, and are completely forgotten about (creating an awful smell as well) because students over-bought or couldn't finish their food in the dining hall and thus shoved it in the fridge. This issue could be reduced with a message sent out to students about food waste, as I write this to FIT's alum audience with the intent and as a reminder to think about how much food you really need, to think before adding more onto your tray, and to not buy foods in bulk that are perishable or that you know you won't return to. These efforts can drastically improve FIT's food wastage, and reduce water, energy, and other resources on campus, as well as the odors in each residential hall's basement fridge that are another issue on their own.

Unnecessary food waste in America — specifically on college campuses — is a real and often ignored issue.