The SMH argues that it is up to each of us to be aware of food waste and to reduce it as far as possible.
The SMH explains that while more than 640,000 Australians receive food aid from charities each month and 43,000 more are turned away, Australian households waste prodigious amounts of food - 800,000 tonnes of it in NSW alone, every year.
It points out that our society's attitude to food is careless, citing one example: supermarkets routinely throw out non-standard produce. It says, however, our picky tastes also contribute to food waste as we do not buy those food which looks a bit odd.
According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation, about a third of all food produced in the world is wasted somehow.
The paper says the government has a limited role in preventing people from wasting food because what food each household buys, stores, and either eats or throws out is mostly beyond their power to influence.
The SMH argues that it is up to each of us to be aware of waste and to reduce and avoid it as far as possible.
