— sara merken and kira sommer

you’re probably thinking to yourself, “why wouldn’t i? it looks normal.” but this produce is not considered normal. this is the type of food that goes unsold and gets thrown out of supermarkets everyday because of its bruises and spots.

the produce above is typically rejected because of the taboo surrounding the beauty standards of our food. no crooked carrots, no speckled potatoes, no bruised apples. once produce has reached a certain date, or varied in color, it gets tossed out — even when it’s perfectly edible.

food waste is a growing problem facing america, and the world. forty percent of produce in the united states goes uneaten and, as a result, the usda estimates losses of $15 billion. if food waste in the united states was reduced by just 15 percent, 25 million americas could be fed each year.

ex-president of trader joe’s, doug rauch, is trying to change just that. he noticed that there was a surplus of food going to waste. supermarkets were throwing out perfectly edible, nutritious food that didn’t sell because of its looks or its date.

rauch’s newest supermarket model, daily table, receives donations from food suppliers and markets and sells the reclaimed goods at inexpensive prices.

at the moment, daily table is only located in dorchester, mass., but plenty of similar, no-cost models, such as foodsharing and lebensmittelretter, have been up and running in europe for years.

rejecting imperfect food is not just wasteful; it’s also detrimental to the environment. the un estimates that half of the water used to produce this food also goes to waste. in addition, “organic waste is the second highest component of landfills, which are the largest source of methane emissions” in the united states.

the environmental effects are such a cause for concern that france has taken legislative initiatives. large french grocery stores are now required to donate food that is leftover, rather than just letting it go to waste. the bill was originally introduced in may 2015 as a means to mitigate hunger and discourage food waste, but gained more attention in december for environmental concerns. the bill was said to be a “crucial matter for the planet” and passed quickly and unanimously.

if the united states follows in france’s footsteps, more supermarkets like daily table could be cropping up throughout the country and put the country on track to reduce food waste.

(photo by till westermayer)

in each average-sized nutella jar, there are about 94 hazelnuts, and every year, over $2.4 billion worth of nutella is sold. that’s a lot of hazelnuts, and now that the wholesale prices of hazelnuts are increasing by more than 60 percent, the tasty treat may become so expensive that it becomes unsustainable as a snack food.

as a college student, i have seen firsthand exactly how many different ways nutella can be used in a semi-broke student’s life. last year, i watched a boy use nutella as makeshift glue after he put it on his pretzels.

so just maybe, i thought, this nutella problem has the potential to raise awareness about climate change among the younger demographic that considers the product a staple. it can be difficult to see the bigger picture when climate change isn’t directly affecting you.

earlier in 2014, students across my college campus were horrified at the prospect that they would no longer have to say, “i know guacamole is extra,” at chipotle, not because it magically became free, but because avocado crops were being heavily affected by global warming. the prices of avocados could increase so much that chipotle warned in a securities filing that they might have to temporarily discontinue their guacamole option. a true american horror story, no?

as frightening as pricey nutella or a guac shortage may seem to a 20-year-old, it is minor compared to the daily struggle of the estimated 805 million chronically undernourished people in the world. food insecurity is a global issue that demands solutions, and it’s hard for college students to understand the severity of this epidemic until the prices put favorite treats well out of a college student’s budget.

our earth is in trouble, but i feel fortunate to be a part of the generation that will be the next leaders, policy makers and business owners. we have a chance to work toward a cleaner and healthier future. however, everyone in my generation needs to be of this same mindset to make change happen.

in january of 2014, a pew research center poll showed that climate change was “ranked second to last among 20 issues” on the public’s priority list for the government. political instability in pakistan and north korea’s nuclear program were both ranked higher than global change. don’t get me wrong, those are very important issues, but worldwide food shortages and destroyed crops are a common denominator for all countries and deserve more attention.

maybe when favorite treats start to disappear from daily life, people will start to ask questions and look for solutions. first, hazelnuts are too expensive, and then the price of sugar is raised. then, starbucks around the world begin to close because coffee had a few bad years. and then what? will we have a black market for corn?

our generation cannot afford to take climate change seriously only when something drastic and irreversible has occurred. we should be thinking now about the environmental consequences that result from our dangerous habits.

we’re not going to lose nutella entirely – there are enough hazelnuts to keep production going, but it’s going to cost us. but even if the college student diet staple does remain the same, that isn’t the point. a shortage scare of a chocolate-like spread shouldn’t be what finally makes young americans think about climate change.

clutch onto your jar for dear life, this ride is only just beginning.

^{top photo courtesy of s smith.}