Fresh fruits and vegetables can do some alarming things. They can crack open and change colors, sport tiny — or really big — scars, and even start trying to make new produce, right there on your kitchen counter.
“When in doubt, throw it out,” you might tell yourself as you approach your garbage can, suspicious produce in hand.
But hold on. Americans dump an estimated 150,000 tons of food every day, most of which is landfilled and generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas. You’re also squandering the resources used to produce that food. A 2018 study by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and two universities found that every year, more than 30 million acres of cropland and 4.2 trillion gallons of water are dedicated to producing food that Americans throw away. Continue…