Final answer:
Americans waste produce for two main reasons: buying more food than needed and not utilizing leftovers and food scraps.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two main reasons that Americans waste so much produce (vegetables and fruits) are:
- 1. Overbuying: Americans often buy more food than they need or buy food they won't actually eat. This can be due to unrealistic assessments of how much food is required or impulsive purchasing habits. When people have more produce than they can consume before it spoils, it often goes to waste.
- 2. Underutilizing leftovers and food scraps: Our take-out culture and fast-paced lifestyle contribute to the underutilization of leftovers and food scraps. Instead of using these food items in their entirety, they are often discarded. This lack of utilization leads to unnecessary waste.
By addressing these two main reasons, such as being mindful of food purchases and finding creative ways to utilize leftovers and food scraps, Americans can reduce their produce waste and contribute to a more sustainable food system.
Your question is incomplete, but most probably the full question was:
According to the article (paragraph 2), what are the two main reasons that Americans waste so much produce (vegetables and fruits)?
``Compared to the rest of the world, food in the United States is plentiful and less costly, and often this contributes to a general sentiment of not appreciating or valuing it the way other communities around the globe do. Americans are often impulsive in their food purchases, unrealistically assessing how much food is required, and as a result buying more food than they need or buying food they won’t actually eat. Our take-out society doesn’t use food in its entirety the way our ancestors used to. We underutilize leftovers and toss food scraps that can still be consumed or composted. Composting isn’t part of our food-prep routine, so we continue to add fuel to the fire in increasing the sheer size of US landfills.`` (p.2)