British can Reduce Food Waste with a Software Application

Google Partners with U.K. Grocer to Tackle Food Problem

Sainsbury Food Rescue is a new web and mobile application made in partnership with a local grocery chain in  the United Kingdom. With voice recognition software, the user simply needs to say the ingredient(s) they have as leftovers and they will be returned with a list of ways in which those ingredients can be reused. Although I'm not sure how the app is much different than a regular Google search, it sounds like a helpful tool
that is designed to reduce the amount of food that is disposed of by consumers. The success of the application will be tracked by allowing users to see the amount of money that is being saved by re-using food items that may otherwise have thrown away. In addition, the information will be added to regional and national totals. If nothing else, it sounds like this program will be increasing consumer awareness of a large global problem. According to the United Nations Environment Program, 30% of all food generated in the United States is disposed of each year. This is not only a financial loss, but is an environmental issue as additional fertilizers and chemicals are used to produce the excess food as well as causing methane, a harmful greenhouse gas, to be generated from the decomposition of rotting food.