從食物浪費到塑膠困局

紐約名廚暨作家安東尼・波登（Anthony Bourdain）曾說：「對待食物，請像義大利祖母一樣。」他的意思不只是用心烹飪，更要珍惜每一份食材，不浪費任何可以善用的食物。波登長年在世界各地旅行，深受貧困地區飢餓現況震撼，他曾將「食物浪費」形容為一種「罪惡」。

Chef and author Anthony Bourdain once urged Americans to “treat your food like any Italian grandmother would” - with care, gratitude, and zero waste. His words resonate more urgently than ever in a world where over 2.3 billion people face food insecurity while more than a billion metric tons of food go to waste each year, according to the United Nations.

根據聯合國數據，全球每年約有超過 10 億噸食物被浪費，同時有 23 億人面臨中度或重度糧食不安全。食物浪費造成的溫室氣體排放佔全球總量的 10%，幾乎是航空業碳足跡的五倍。如果「食物浪費」是一個國家，它的排放量僅次於美國與中國，排名世界第三。

Food waste is not only a moral failure but also an environmental one. The UN Environment Programme estimates that food loss and waste generate 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions - five times the footprint of the aviation sector. If food waste were a country, it would rank as the world’s third-largest emitter after the United States and China.

發達國家與開發中國家的兩極問題 在美國與歐洲，大部分食物浪費發生於購買之後──被扔進廚餘桶、在冰箱中腐壞。而在開發中國家，更多糧食在送達消費者前就已損耗。世界銀行報告指出，在撒哈拉以南非洲，37% 的農產品因運輸基礎設施不足與缺乏冷鏈而損失。

包裝：被誤解的「食物守護者」 長期被視為環境公敵的包裝，實際上是防止食物浪費的第一道防線。無菌包裝（Aseptic packaging）可防止微生物入侵，使牛奶、果汁與嬰兒食品可在無冷藏環境下保存數月。近年新型鮮乳紙盒填充技術更導入高效濾網系統，能將保存期限延長至 60 天，減少家庭端的浪費。

The Global Divide in Food Waste In wealthy nations, most waste occurs after purchase - food left to rot in refrigerators or discarded uneaten. In developing countries, much of it spoils before reaching consumers due to inadequate infrastructure and refrigeration. The World Bank reports that 37% of food produced in Sub-Saharan Africa is lost in transit.

Packaging as an Unexpected Ally Long vilified by environmentalists, packaging is actually a critical tool for preventing food loss. Aseptic packaging keeps milk, juice, and baby food safe for months without refrigeration, protecting supplies across complex, high-temperature supply chains.

Elopak 執行長 Thomas Körmendi 表示，現代包裝技術的進步與基礎設施普及，將是減少糧食浪費與碳排放的關鍵。「包裝的角色正在轉變——它不只是保存食物的新鮮，更是應對全球飢餓與氣候危機的重要手段。」

塑膠困境與政策新趨勢 然而，包裝本身也有代價。美國每年產生約 7,300 萬公噸塑膠廢棄物，其中 37% 來自包裝。世界自然基金會（WWF）調查顯示，85% 的美國人認為塑膠污染是「急需解決的嚴重問題」。

Thomas Körmendi, CEO of Elopak, noted that packaging technology is central to reducing both waste and emissions. “Modern packaging plays a dual role - preserving freshness while addressing hunger and climate injustice,” he said.

Innovations in carton technology now allow fresh milk to stay drinkable for up to 60 days thanks to advanced filtration systems first popularized during the COVID-19 pandemic. The expansion of such technologies in developing nations could dramatically cut spoilage and emissions alike.

包括可口可樂、達能與卡夫亨氏在內的多家食品公司，2025 年共同呼籲聯合國制定「全球塑膠生產上限」，以推動更永續的包裝替代方案。然而，因石化產業的強烈遊說，談判最終破局。

The Plastic Dilemma and Policy Shift Yet packaging itself creates new problems. The U.S. produces 73 million metric tons of plastic waste annually, 37% of which comes from packaging. According to WWF, 85% of Americans see plastic pollution as a serious issue requiring urgent action.

儘管如此，民意已在改變。根據 NPR、PBS 與 Marist 的 2024 年民調，三分之一的美國人已減少使用一次性塑膠製品。全球趨勢亦顯示，69% 的消費者認為氣候變遷已影響日常生活，86% 認為企業應運用資源改善社會與環境。

In 2025, companies like Coca-Cola, Danone, and Kraft Heinz called for a global cap on plastic production. The initiative failed amid heavy petrochemical lobbying, but momentum continues to grow. Surveys show one in three Americans has reduced their use of single-use plastics in the past five years, reflecting a larger shift in consumer values.

Elopak 指出，越來越多品牌正將產品從塑膠瓶轉向紙纖維包裝，其碳排放可比 PET 瓶減少 73%，同時延長食品新鮮度。各國政策亦逐步跟上，要求包裝兼顧減碳與防浪費功能。

Elopak reports a surge in brands switching from plastic bottles to paper-based cartons, which emit up to 73% less carbon than PET bottles while extending shelf life. Governments are now updating regulations to align with these dual goals - reducing plastic waste and curbing food loss.

從氣候週反思：兩種浪費，一個解方 在紐約氣候週的討論落幕之際，食品浪費與塑膠廢棄物被視為同樣迫切的全球挑戰。兩者相互交織——減少一方不能以犧牲另一方為代價。包裝正站在這場糧食與環境危機的十字路口，既是問題的一部分，也是解方的一環。唯有讓「珍惜食物」成為全球共識，我們才能真正實踐波登所說的精神：珍惜、尊重，並善用我們手中擁有的一切。

Two Crises, One Solution As Climate Week NYC 2025 reminds us, food waste and plastic pollution are deeply intertwined. Solving one cannot come at the expense of the other. Packaging stands at the nexus of both challenges - a potential villain turned hero. If we can rethink how we preserve, consume, and value our food, we might finally live up to Bourdain’s call: to cherish what we have, waste nothing, and cook - and consume - with love.