It has been estimated that we waste between 30-40% of all food in North America between the field and the final consumer. The generation of food waste is a “wicked problem”: it has many causes, and will require diverse solutions across the value chain. This presentation will address the broader context of garbage in contemporary societies (who wastes what and why), as well as the social and environmental issues associated with waste. It will then elaborate on food waste as an emerging topic of attention across sectors in Canada, including government, industry, and NGOs. An in-depth look at the household generation of food waste in Guelph, ON reveals the challenges that we face in reducing food waste, as well as some potential solutions.