Wasteful Goods

During 2004, Australians threw away 5.3 billion dollars ($4.1 billion, U.S.) worth of uneaten food, reports The Australia Institute, a research organization. This is more than 13 times the amount Australians donated for overseas aid in 2003. Overall, the total amount Australians waste on goods and services that are never or rarely used amounts to over $10.5 billion ($8.1 billion, U.S.) annually—more than that country spends on universities and roads.