About food wasteWhat is the impact of food waste on the environment?
Food waste significantly harms the environment and climate, emitting greenhouse gases throughout its supply chain from farm to fork. This includes emissions from waste processing, like in landfills. Moreover, valuable resources like water and land are unnecessarily used in producing wasted food.
Food waste is responsible for 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and utilises 25% of all freshwater resources (WWF,2024).
How does food waste affect the climate and the environment?
Climate is the ambient state around us, including rain and weather patterns, temperature, humidity, etc. All of this is impacted by greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere, trapping heat and warming the planet.
When we talk about the environment, we refer to ecosystems, biodiversity, and natural processes happening around us.
The journey of our food starts at the farm and ends at our fork (or in the bin). Every step has an impact on the climate and environment. At each stage, greenhouse gas emissions are released. Food waste therefore has a massive environmental footprint, because of the greenhouse gas emissions along the way, and the land and water needed to produce it.
For example, woodlands have been converted into cropland and this deforestation release greenhouse gasses. But this land also needs to be irrigated which disqualifies it as a suitable habitat for many species. Burning fuel releases carbon dioxide. Fuel is needed to power the machinery that works the land, and used to distribute our food to our supermarkets and houses. Fuel is also used to generate electricity, which is used to refrigerate food during transportation, and in our homes to cool and prepare our food. Food waste that ends up in landfill generates methane over time.
This means that when we waste food, it is not just the food in front of us that is wasted, but all the related resources and emissions as well. If we stop wasting food, we can avoid huge amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, and the unnecessary use of land and water.
WE KNOW THATBY SAVING ONE MEAL* FROM GOING TO WASTE WE AVOID:
*One meal = 1 Surprise Bag = 1 kg of food.
2.7KGOF CO2E EMISSIONS
avoided with every Surprise Bag saved.
2.8 M²OF LAND USE PER YEAR
810LITRES OF WATER
Impact on climate change
Around 30% of the world's total energy consumption is used in the food sector (FAO, 2011). It is used to get our food from farms, to production plants and manufacturers all the way to our homes and plates. Energy in this context refers to fuel used on machinery and transport across the supply chain, but also to electricity for storage in fridges and fuel needed for cooking at home.
Impact on HABITAT LOSS
Half of the world’s habitable land is used for agriculture and producing food that ultimately goes to waste takes up 30% of all agricultural land. This is an area larger than China and as big as Canada and India combined (1.4 billion hectares of land, which is 11.5% of all land) (FAO, 2013).
Land used for agriculture, like grass or cropland, disqualifies it as a suitable habitat for many species, threatens biodiversity and degrades soil quality.
Impact on fresh water depletion
Only 3% of Earth's water is fresh water and of that, only 1% can be used by humans, because the rest is locked in for example ice caps (NASA, 2014).
70% of our fresh water is used for agriculture, but a stunning amount of 25% of all available fresh water is used to irrigate and produce food that goes to waste. This equal the water amount of 3 times Lake Geneva each year (FAO, 2013).
The use of freshwater to irrigate agricultural land depletes groundwater, harms plant and animal species and impacts biodiversity.
start saving food today
Our app is the world's largest marketplace for surplus food. We help users rescue good food from going to waste, offering great value for money at local stores, cafes and restaurants.
Too Good To Go Blog
If you have cooked sweet potato sitting in a lunch box, or spinach wilting away in the bottom drawer of your fridge, make this vegetarian curry.Leftover Sweet Potato and Spinach Curry Recipe (Vegetarian)
September 19, 2023
It's cosy season and in our opinion, that makes it curry season. We've been waiting all summer to fully lean in to soupy, stewy curries and we're ready to ru...
Make a balanced meal from a café Surprise Bag from Costa Coffee, Starbucks, Coffee #1 and Caffè Nero. Use our tips to eat well while helping the planet.Make a balanced meal from a café Surprise Bag
September 12, 2023
Insert excerptWe love our food-saving café partners, including Starbucks and Caffè Nero, and we love a big cheesy panini for lunch. If you're looking to make...
Carrot cake is a cup of coffee's best companion but did you know you can save up your carrot scraps and make your very own zero waste carrot cake?Our zero waste carrot cake recipe
January 31, 2023
Carrot cake is a cup of coffee's best companion but did you know you can save up your carrot scraps and make your very own zero waste carrot cake? It's Natio...
Make January a bit better for the planet by using our 3 zero waste recipes for your breakfast, lunch and dinner.3 Recipes For a Zero Waste Day
January 6, 2023
Making the most of the ingredients in your kitchen is a great way to save money, time, and food waste. Use these recipes as inspiration, and challenge yourse...
If you’re carving pumpkins, you might be wondering what you can do with all of the pumpkin-y goodness. Why not make this zero-waste vegan pumpkin pie recipe?Zero Waste Vegan Pumpkin Pie Recipe
December 5, 2022
If you’re carving pumpkins, you might be wondering what you can do with all of the pumpkin goodness you’ve taken out of your gourd. Although pumpkin is great...
This is the best zero waste gravy for your Christmas dinner. Save your vegetable peels and odds and ends and use it to make this tasty gravy. Easily made vegan.The best zero waste gravy for Christmas dinner
November 23, 2022
We're willing to say it - this is the best zero waste gravy for your Christmas dinner. Save your vegetable peels and odds and ends and use it to make this ta...
Cooking up your first roast meal of the season, and overdid the roast veggies? Not to worry - it means you’ve got an easy zero waste roast veg soup.Easy Zero Waste Roast Veg Soup Recipe
October 10, 2022
Cooking up your first roast meal of the season, and overdid the roast veggies? Not to worry - it means you’ve got an easy zero waste roast veg soup.
With our tips on how to reduce school lunch food waste, you'll have empty lunchboxes and less food in the bin!5 tips to reduce school lunch food waste
August 11, 2022
It’s that time of year again - the young ones are back to school and you’re rushing to buy those new shirts, donate last year’s shoes and wrap books for ever...
Read our 12 food waste tips from eco experts from the EPA's Stop Food Waste, The Useless Project, Climate Love Ireland, Sustainable Seafood Ireland and more.12 food waste tips from eco experts
July 19, 2022
At Too Good To Go, we strongly believe that practical tips to reduce food waste move the needle when it comes to making an impact. With this in mind, we've c...
Our easy vegan chocolate mousse recipe uses just two ingredients - one of which is aquafaba, leftover liquid from tinned chickpeas. Creamy, fluffy and simple.Easy vegan chocolate mousse recipe
June 28, 2022
Chocolate mousse is certainly a crowd-pleaser and this easy vegan chocolate mousse allows you to please everyone while making the most of the aquafaba that y...
Making your own fermented foods allows you to tackle food waste by making the most of vegetables, fruit and other foods that may otherwise end up in the bin.3 fermented recipes to fight food waste
May 24, 2022
Fermented food is certainly trendy but to us, there's much more to it than that. Making your own pickled foods allows you to tackle food waste by making the ...
In an Irish consumer food waste survey we carried out, 87% of those surveyed said that they consider the environmental impact when throwing food away.Irish Consumer Food Waste Survey: Solutions and Behaviours
April 28, 2022
In an Irish consumer food waste survey we carried out, 87% of those surveyed said that they consider the environmental impact when throwing food away. Corkon...