The biggest wastes of money in 2017

FOOD WASTE

Money wasted: $750 billion (annually)

One third of the world’s food goes to waste each year, according to an October UN report. That’s 1.3 billion tons of food, an approximately $750 million in agricultural resources, wasted annually. The global problem often stems from consumers rejecting ugly, blemished or not-quite-expired food that could be diverted to feeding the nearly 800 million people starving worldwide.

BIG MONEY, BIG WASTES Most of us make money mistakes, but they’re nothing compared to the wastes of money perpetrated by state organizations, private companies, and elite billionaires every year. So as 2017 comes to a close, let’s review the most staggering instances of financial waste in the past year—some that made headlines, and some that are still flying under the radar.