28 Days To Go: Let's Change the World, One Meal at a Time

I want to send a message, and I need your help.You may remember from last month a woman named Josette Sheeran who warned the world that millions of people will die unnecessarily and no one will notice. As the head of the UN World Food Program, Sheeran wanted us to know that our lack of generosity during tough economic times will result in mass starvation. Here at Trading 8s, message received. But in the rest of the country, not so much:  

While many Americans feast on turkey and all the fixings today, a new study finds food waste per person has shot up 50 percent since 1974. Some 1,400 calories worth of food is discarded per person each day, which adds up to 150 trillion calories a year.

The study finds that about 40 percent of all the food produced in the United States is tossed out.

Meanwhile, while some have plenty of food to spare, a recent report by the Department of Agriculture finds the number of U.S. homes lacking "food security," meaning their eating habits were disrupted for lack of money, rose from 4.7 million in 2007 to 6.7 million last year.

If there's one thing we've made clear during our meditation on the holidays, it is that, frankly, we give a damn. One reader pointed out, however, that many people cannot contribute to our charities because that money is going to other charities. We hope that is the reason. We still ask you to take $1 -- not from your other donations, but from your everyday luxury consumption -- and donate to our charities.But we have an even easier way for you to help, and it doesn't cost you a dime: Sign your name in the comments section below this post.We're going to make this post a petition of all the people who promise to be more careful this holiday season about what they buy and eat, and not to buy so much that they waste 40%. We want to send a message to Josette Sheeran that we are doing our part to confront the global food shortage. And we want you to join us.Please add your name below to signify that you will waste less food this month.