40% of Food Wasted

For the last eight years, Jones has spearheaded a government-financed study that has documented how more than 40 percent of food grown in the United States is lost or thrown away - at a cost of at least $100 billion annually to the economy and over-taxing the soil and environment.

The article continues saying 10% of food at large fast food chains is wasted, 50% at small chains and 25% at convenience stores. Given the use of oil and water in agriculture, and the massive inefficiency in converting plant matter to meat, this represents an appalling waste of scarce resources.