The Food and Energy Cycle
In order for consumable food to be created, a massive amount of energy has to be expended. The food that’s brought into school cafeterias to be eaten at lunch is already towards the end of a very long journey. Let’s take a look at this path, or cycle, from the start.
The first source of energy is sunlight. The sun allows for plants, grasses, vegetables and fruits to grow. This can take months and even years, and requires not only sunlight but also ample amounts of rainfall and, most importantly, nutrient-rich soil. Soil may seem like it can always be used to grow food no matter the condition it’s in… but this is far from the truth. The type of soil that is necessary for food growth is nitrogen-filled, nutrient-rich and full of healthy microorganisms. A given plot of soil can only produce so many seasons worth of crop before it becomes incredibly nutrient-depleted and unhealthy, meaning that fertile soil really is a finite resource when food scraps are thrown out as they usually are.
Another thing to consider is that a large portion of the food consumed across the world, especially in the U.S., uses meats, cheeses, or other animal products. An estimated 98.9% of all U.S. retail food and beverage sales use some type of animal products, whether it's meat or something else (Good Food Institute). When these products are used, another major source of energy is needed for the cycle. In order to keep an animal alive and healthy long enough to take its milk, eggs, or eventually use its meat... this animal has to be given food, shelter, water, and more every single day. A person that eats half of a hamburger in a school cafeteria and throws the other half out is indirectly responsible for wasting years of food and water that were used to ensure the survival of an animal; sunlight, fertile soil, and water that was used to grow that animal's food, the lettuce on the burger, as well as the wheat used to make the hamburger bun, and so much more. An incredible amount of energy goes into all of the food eaten in schools and otherwise.
When this energy-intensive food is disposed of into landfills, there is no food and energy cycle. There is simply a path of food and energy, that starts... and ends. However, when this food is brought to a composting site, the energy used to make it can be completely recycled. The food scraps will decompose and turn into wonderful healthy soil that can be used by farmers to grow more food for people to eat and for their animals to survive. Composting turns the path of food and energy into a cycle... and a sustainable one. It's easy not to consider the consequences of our actions in terms of food and energy, but it's also relatively easy to turn our food back into resources and connect the cycle... so do it!!