Maximum Yield Modern Growing USA - February 2017

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Food waste is a global issue that governments, cities, and businesses around the world are beginning to turn their attention to. According to statistics from the United Nations, roughly one-third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year, about 1.3 billion tons with US$1 trillion in value, gets lost or wasted. Thirty per cent of all cereals, 20 per cent of all dairy, 35 per cent of all seafood, and 45 per cent of all fruits and vegetables are thrown away by consumers. Grocery stores, restaurants, and supply chains often are blamed for the waste, but the reality is almost half of all food is wasted in homes. After all, we want our food cheap, perfectly shaped, and unblemished. What’s more, all of this rotting food in landfills produces methane, a gas 20 times more damaging than CO2, and food production uses 80 per cent of all fresh water consumed. If food waste were a country, it would be the third largest contributor of greenhouse gasses in the world. Maximum Yield’s Cory Hughes piles up the staggering food waste numbers for us on page __. It goes without saying that a lot of these issues could be solved if more people grew their own food. It doesn’t take much, just a simple outdoor garden or indoor system would foster a much healthier appreciation for food that our throw-away society currently ignores. With that in mind, in this issue of Maximum Yield we offer a wide range of stories to help educate seasoned growers and newcomers alike. From cold weather greenhouses to hydroponic pollination to lighting tips, we’ve left nothing to waste when it comes to growing your own food. We hope you have as much fun reading it as we did putting it together. As always, thanks for reading Maximum Yield and if you have any questions feel free to contact us at editor@maximumyield.com.