That wasted food could have been saved, if the grocery store had just switched to better lighting.

Americans waste an estimated 40 percent of their food, equaling about 1,400 calories per person per day. Some of that responsibility comes from us consumers, who buy more than we can eat and put our trust in "use-by" dates that are essentially meaningless—most are simply manufacturers' estimations of when a product will reach it's peak quality and they aren't regulated by the Food and Drug Administration or the Department of Agriculture.

But the food industry wastes a lot of food, too. Grocery stores, restaurants, and other stops along the supply chain buy too much, toss out perfectly good though slightly bruised veggies, and, like the rest of us, fall prey to those unregulated, misleading "use-by" dates, needlessly tossing out perfectly good food.

Grocery stores, at least, could have a solution to that problem that would not only reduce food waste, but energy waste, as well. When beef, pork, and poultry products are in refrigerated displays, their color changes due to natural chemistry and exposure to oxygen. Since people don't like off-color meat, they won't buy it, and retailers toss it out. But some graduate students at Kansas State University recently concluded a study finding that using LED lights at the grocery store can reverse those changes and extend meat products' shelf life.

Comparing LED lights with the standard fluorescent lighting most grocers use, the students noticed that LED outperformed fluorescent lights when it came to maintaining a healthy color and lowering oxidation in the meat, which causes it to go rancid. The meats also maintained colder internal temperatures, which keep them fresh for up to a full day longer than when they are stored under the standard bulbs.

The grocery stores saved money on their energy bills, too. If stores are willing to pass along those savings, asking your grocery to swap out its lighting could actually mean lower food bills for you.