Food Waste

Videos

Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Science, Social Studies

Scientist Reviewed

Provided by The YEARS Project

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What it is

This short video resource displays text, images, and video clips describing the huge amount of greenhouse gases emitted from food waste.
Students will learn about where, how, and why food waste causes greenhouse gas emissions.
Students will also learn the ways that we can help reduce food waste and also provide more food to people in need.

Teaching tips

Positives

This video is short, but provides enough information to help students identify the scope of the problem and some great solutions currently available.

Additional Prerequisites

This video is easy to follow but it is not narrated, so you may need to pause it to provide enough time for all students to read along.

Differentiation

It might be beneficial for students to explore the carbon, water, and land footprints of various foods using the Environmental Impacts of Food Data Explorer to investigate other ways to reduce emissions from food.
Related resources include How to Change Your Diet to Fight Climate Change and Footprint Calculator.
Students can create infographics to persuade others to do their part to avoid food waste.

From the scientist review

This resource explores the implication of food waste and how it increases methane and other greenhouse gas in the soil and atmosphere. This is a factor that accelerates climate change. Students can gain insights on how to curb food wastage. Recommended for teaching.

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At a glance

Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Science, Social Studies
Format: YouTube Video
Language: English
Location: Earth
Provider: The YEARS Project
Authors: The YEARS Project
Published: August 1, 2021
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · MS-ESS3-3. + 6 more

Core

Core Standards legacy

MS-ESS3-3.MS-ESS3-3. Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
MS-ETS1-1.MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.2CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.2 Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under study.
3-5-ETS1-2.3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
MS-ESS3-C.1.MS-ESS3-C.1. Human activities have significantly altered the biosphere, sometimes damaging or destroying natural habitats and causing the extinction of other species. But changes to Earth’s environments can have different impacts (negative and positive) for different living things. (MS-ESS3-3)

Michigan Climate Education Hub

Michigan Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

MS-ETS1-1MS-ETS1-1 Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
SL.7.2.SL.7.2. Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under study.

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What it is

Teaching tips

From the scientist review

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